All We Know Is Falling
by LuvHolic
Summary: 5,000 word ending chapter. too much? no such thing! The conclusion of Hitsugaya's tribulations and Hinamori's struggles.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, this is my first fanfic so please be gentle. It's mainly about Hinamori, with a bit of Hitsugaya later. First chapter takes place before Hitsugaya and the gang are called back to soul society. It closely follows the same timeline as the manga/anime, at lease for now. Italics are Hinamori's thoughts.**

**Disclaimer: does not own Bleach**

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"Limit, release!" she said in almost a whisper. Beneath her shiginami uniform, the Gotei 13's fifth division insignia glowed on her chest. 

There, she stood in the sky of the living world, on a mission to eliminate her foe. For the first time since she became a shinigami, she was ready to fight, wanting to fight. Her former taichou was a passivist, he loved the world. A kind, loving man. Never have she seen him unsheathe his zanpakuto, and was always able to settle disputes and much more with his heavenly voice. Or so she wanted to believe. And just like the man she admired, she would walk the right path. The first time she saw his zanpakuto, was almost the last thing she would see. In a way, Aizen really had killed her. That part of her she used to be had died in her heart, along with the man she looked up to. To her, the ex-shinigami that sat in on the throne of Hueco Mundo was someone else.

"What was that? Limit release? Is _that_ your full power?" the arrancar scoffed. He then released his own powers to its true form. Through the smoke came a figure that resembled something like a werewolf. His beastly face made Hinamori cringe. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the four huge, long (probably as long as her) blades for claws at the end of hand. Hinamori had a tough time with the arrancar to begin with. _Now, it'll be even worse._ She thought to herself, trying to come up with a plan. _I have to continue dodging his attacks. It was hard enough already!_

Noticing her lack of concentration, the arrancer took the chance to attack first. Hinamori was starring at him one moment, then with a blink of an eye he vanished. W_here'd he go?!_ The wolf-like arrancer appeared right above her, cocked his arm back and swung his claws, aiming for her throat. One, two, three times he tried to slice her. Clutching her zanpakuto as hard as she could, she blocked. The shock of each powerful swing resonated down her arms, up to her shoulders, wearing her down with each blow. _Tobiume won't be able to keep up with the bashing much longer_,_and neither will I._

Lifting the limit on her reiatsu still wasn't enough as the arrancer released his true form. _This is getting nowhere,_ Hinamori said to herself, while continuing blocking and dodging as much as she could. After each of his waves of attacks, Hinamori tried to counter, shooting fireballs, kido, even binding spells. But every time the arrancer saw the shiginami point her finger, he knew to dodge. With the speed of something faster than she had ever encountered, he was too quick for her long ranged attacks. The arrancer started to run towards her, claws sharp and ready for shinigami blood.

_If only I can get closer..._

Panting and out of breath, Hinamori tried to steady her stance as she tried to withstand the beast as he struck her zanpakuto hard, it sounded like metal clashing against metal. She winced at the sound, f_orgive me Tobiume, hold on for just a bit more._ The arrancer knew she was getting tired, he pushed against Tobiume, trying to knock her down. Hinamori gasped as her strength faltered for a split second. That was all he needed to slip one of his blade claws past Tobiume and pierce Hinamori's right shoulder, shattering her collar bone. Too out of breath to scream, she wheezed for air. Trying to hold in the pain, she clenched her eyes shut, her head facing down. The beast laughed with joy, sounding like a hyena as he held the blade, still skewered through her body in the air. He abruptly stopped his snorting when he caught a glimpse of her face, more specifically, her smile.

"Heh..." she smirked. It was the first time she wore a self-satisfied smile offensively. And it felt good, she noted. "Immortal Black Flame", Hinamori called in almost a whisper. Still holding Tobiume in her left hand the blade burst with black rather than the normal pink flames, igniting Tobiume on fire sweltering so hot anyone would think her zanpakuto itself would melt.

"Check..." With one swift swing Hinamori sliced through the base of the arrancers blade claw like butter, detaching the claw from its hand.

"What?!" he gasped in pain like a wounded dog.

"...MATE!" she screamed, swinging down dead center of the beast, giving it her all.

His feet was frozen in shock as he realized a little too late that she purposely let him stab her to close the gap between them and let his guard down. Instinctively, the arrancer raised his arms in front of his face in reaction to her on coming attack. Through the gaps between his arms, he could see a pair of unwavering eyes, full of determination to kill him. Then, all he saw was dark burning flames of her zanpakuto.

As Hinamori watched the figure in front of her slowly dissipated into nothingness, she let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion. Her body was shaking from the rush of adrenaline in her first arrancer encounter. Sheathing her zanpakuto, Hinamori flew to the rooftop of a nearby building. After landing she collapsed on her knees, still out of breath, her left hand clutching the opposite shoulder that still had the blade from the arrancer in it. Her right arm was overflowing with blood running down her arm, creating a small puddle on the floor.

"My, my, that was something!" a voiced echoed behind Hinamori. Recognizing the owner of the voice, Hinamori hesitated to face the person. She closed her eyes and slowly she dragged herself around, still inhaling heavily, and even more so with each second. Hazel brown eyes met (in this case, didn't) with those of the former third division taichou himself, Ichimaru Gin.

"I'm so glad to see you alive, Hina-chan." he grinned wider.

"You..." she let out, between huffs of breaths. "you made everyone hate Aizen! You made him do those things!" she cried out to the man standing in the sky in front of her.

Ichimaru didn't react to her accusations as if he was expecting it. "I'm so flattered you thought it was me."

Hinamori sat there on the roof top of a building silently starring at the former taicho.

"Aizen was right in choosing you to be his fukutaicho. Loyal to the end. " he said through the permanent grin on his face. "Gomen ne Hinamori-chan, it wasn't me."

Stunned. Shocked. Dumbfounded. Stupefied. Whatever the word, that was the look on Hinamori's face at that moment. Her thoughts were running around her head so fast she started to get nauseous. Hazel eyes ran back and forth, left to right as she tried to collect her thoughts and heard the voices of everyone telling her it was Aizen behind everything. Aizen killed the elders of Chamber 46. Aizen tried to kill Kuchiki Rukia. Aizen tried to kill her and wasn't being controlled. _It was all Aizen! Aizen! Aizen! AIZEN! _Her head screamed.

Deep down inside she knew it all along. Even when she lied to Unohana-taicho that she understood everything, Hinamori told herself she would follow along with what everyone was saying about Aizen so she could get out of the care of the fourth division. Since then, she had been fighting a battle within herself. Should she just accept that she was wrong about Aizen? The incident had left a lot of her fellow shinigami hurt, it would be horrible if she was supporting the enemy. But what if she the moment she did it turned out that Aizen was innocent and she had turned her back on him. She couldn't live if that happened.

Snapping back to reality, Hinamori's good arm fell limp to her left side, her eyes lifeless as she lifted her head to look again at the man. He was the proof that she needed to console herself. Ichimaru wouldn't lie, he didn't need to. The truth was enough to destroy the girl.

"Ma, you were his favorite pet if that makes you feel better, Hina-chan!" said Ichimaru, slightly bent over towards her. A few moments passed before one of them spoke.

"Next to you..." Hinamori retorted back. Smirking devilishly for the second time in her life. Ichimaru still had his trade mark grin but she noticed his brows furred a little upon hearing her remark.

"I'm not the one that out lived their usefulness." as he leaned in a little closer so he could hum the words in her ears to travel down her body and wrap itself around her heart, squeezing tightly to shatter whatever was left that drove her to live on.

Ichimaru straightened up,"ikorose, Shinshou". The tip of his zanpakuto hit dead on the base of the blade that Hinamori forgot was still protruding from her shoulder, thrusting her back to hit the wall of the square structure that held the door that humans inside the building would use to access the rooftop. The force was so powerful that it caused the end of the blade that exited out of her back to puncture the cement wall, nailing her to it. Hinamori heard something crack, she could have sworn it was the bones in her right arm if it wasn't the wall. She shrieked in pain and blood ran down the cement wall as she hung there like a ragdoll.

"Gin."

Hinamori looked up to find another familiar face standing in the portal to Hueco Mundo next to a blonde, hunching arrancer.

"There is no need for all this, Gin." Kaname Tousen said in a low tone.

"Ah, I didn't mean for you to see it." he responded in the most innocent voice he could conjure. Tousen raised an unamused eyebrow. Hinamori could only watch as Ichimaru retreated back into the portal that split the sky and the blonde arrancer moved out of the way and hid behind Tousen. The portal began to close once he was fully in, he turned around to look at Hinamori. Before it completely disappeared, Hinamori stared as Gin bent down and waved "bye bye" to her.

The building that she was now attached to overlooked the sea. The sun was going to set soon down behind the never-ending waters. A breeze came and swept across her face and she closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace for the first time since she could remember. _This is it, the end. _She was drained, having to release all her reiatsu to fight the arrancer and using her special attack started to take its toll, and not to mention that she was still bleeding. Hinamori looked down at her one good arm, waiting for it to move up and pull out the blade that pinned her to the wall so she could return to Soul Society. But it didn't. She laughed at herself. _I guess I really am going to give up here. _Hinamori sighed and looked forward, ready to watch her last sunset.

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**The next chapter explains more on how Hinamori turned out this way. Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

I said I was gonna explain how Hinamori turned out this way but it wouldn't come out right so this just continues on. But in a nutshell, shes depressed about Aizen and feels useless and lost without his guidance.

Thank you to my first reviewers on my first fic: Inubaki, PrincessOfHeartsNYP and CallMeNicole. I appreciate it a lot!

Disclaimer: does not own Bleach

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"Nonsense! Why is Hinamori-fukutaicho requesting for a Limit Release for a hollow?" a shinigami in the mission control center bellowed. "Check the radar again!" 

"Y-yes sir. Right here, sector 143 indicates a holl-" the subordinate cut off abruptly.

"A what?"

"Arra-...arra-... arrancer!" he managed to spit out in freight.

"Arrancer?! How could you make such a mistake!" the officer in charge panicked.

Someone passing by overheard the commotion through the doors sped off in a hurry dropping his papers.

Meanwhile, in the third division office, Kira Izuru neatly stacked his finished paperwork and placed it in the corner of his desk in the 'out' pile. He stood up and let out a long sigh as he glanced out the window to see the sun lingering just above the horizon and made a mental note of the time. He headed towards the door. Kira turned around after he stepped outside to lock up the division office when something caught the corner of his eye. Hisagi Shuuhei ran up to his friend panting while trying to get complete words out of his mouth to inform him of what he had just overheard. Kira stood in shock as he pieced it together the news. The two quickly exchanged a few more words then used shunpo to get their next destination.

Up top of a hill where the gates that lead to the living world were located, a group of shinigami was making their return from the living world. Kuchiki-taicho emerged from one of the gates, followed by Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia. Renji stopped in his tracks when he saw his two commrads hasting their way to another gate off to the right of the one he had just exited. Rukia was about to go with but quickly continued following her brother after he told her to leave him behind. She reminded herself to meet with him up later to plan their secret rescue mission. Renji came up from behind the two men while they were waiting for the gate operator to set the portal. He put a hand on each side of his hip, 'Ehm' Renji tried to get their attention by faking a cough but to no avail. 'EHMMM', this time even louder. Finally the two men heard and turned to look at him. Renji had a smile on, ready to hear them rejoice his return but it quickly turned into a frown when instead they both had on a dreadful expression.

"Oi! What's the matter? You two look as if someone died!" Renji asked. Kira's jaw dropped and almost fainted at the mention of death, remembering the current situation Hinamori was in.

"Hinamori ran to an arrancer in the living world. " Hisagi jestured Renji and Kira to enter the now open gate. Renji immediately understood and joined them. From a distance, an orange-blonde shinigami watched the three man enter the portal.

"Ah! Where are my drinking buddy's going?" she pouted.

Hitsugaya Toushirou emeraged beside her, "Probably to get into more trouble. Let's go, Matsumoto. We have work to do". and walked on ahead.

Running through the bright light of the gate exit, Renji, Kira and Hisagi found themselves hovered in the sky of a small town that resided next to the sea in the living world. Looking in all directions they tried to spot any signs of a battle. They feared the worst when the only thing that hit their ears was the cool autumn breeze and the normal little hums of everyday human activity. Hisagi hastily closed his eyes to concentrate on finding traces of Hinamori's reiatsu. Renji and Kira held their breath as they watched him tighten his eyes, knowing he was having a hard time. Moments later, that felt like an eternity, his eyes shot open as he felt a glint of the reiatsu he was looking for. Leading the way he sped off west to the skyscrapers by the beach, springing from building to building. Reaching the rooftop of the building where the trail ended, the three fukutaicho's stood paralyzed, eyes fixated at the figure against the wall in front of them.

There she was, bound to the wall by a razor sharp blade running through her right shoulder. The blood that ran down her arm, as well as the wall behind her, collected itself into a crimson puddle at her feet. Her eyes staring at the vast sea as if in a trance by the rhythmic movement of the waves clashing to and fro the shore. Landing in front of her they cried out her name when she didn't show any response to their arrival.

She blinked. They quietly sighed in relief that she was still breathing."I didn't request for backup." she spoke softly, still not moving her eyes from the sea. They stood caught off guard not knowing if she meant it sarcastically, it never really did suit her. "So useless. I couldn't finish one mission properly."she gave a small, sad smile when she lifted her head to look at them.

"T-Thats not true, Hinamori-san." Kira walked up to her and reached his hand for the blade.

"Don't!" she yelled at him. He stopped midway and took a step back. When she saw the hurt look on his face, she quickly gave him a smile, "I got myself into this, I'll get myself out, ne?" Her left arm slowly rose to grip the blade. She took a deep breath and with what little strength she had left tried to pull it out. But not long after, her hand collapsed in exhaustion. Her breathing became shallow as she tried again and again but it wouldn't budge.

Hinamori stopped and let go of the blade. Her head fell towards her left shoulder, her eyes looking at the ground. "He was right to chose me for a fukutaicho, I'm weak and stupid." she said in a low voice.

"You're not stupid or weak. You didn't know. None of us did." Kira told her and Hisagi nodded in agreement next to him.

"Did your taichou's stab you? Did they try to kill you because you were no longer useful to them?" a little anger could be heard in her soft voice. She looked at Kira and Hisagi when they couldn't respond to her question. Shaking her head she answered for them,"No. Then you can't possibly know how I feel!"

"And the worst part...to be stabbed from the front...and I wasn't able to see it coming!"

A few moments passed and she spoke again. "I'm always needing to be saved. I can't even pull this damn blade out to save myself!" tears stained her face. "Maybe..I should die here after all.." she hung her head down, surrendering to her broken heart that slowly cracked with each day. Unable to hold it together any longer, the pieces began to fall through her fingers into the dark of her soul, never wanting to see another day.

Renji watched in silence the whole time. He clenched his fist in aggravation while he listened to her. He couldn't hold it in anymore. Without warning he grabbed for the blade and in one swift motion he drew it out of the wall and her. "Don't blame it on this!" he yelled at her and threw away the blade. Hinamori yelped and fell to the ground grasping her shoulder in pain, eyes still glued to the ground. "There, now it's your choice."

"What am I suppose to do?! Without him...what am I suppose to do!" her head was down and her hair covered her face but they were able to see the tears raining down to the ground.

"You get up and you run! Run to your future! Run to your dreams! Run for **yourself**!" he yelled back at her. "With **your** own two legs!"

"Kuso...Giving up to easily...I guess I wasted my time coming here." Renji folded his arms and turned his head to side, trying to pretend he was mad at her.

"Abarai-kun! You don't have to-" Kira was interrupted by Hisagi's hand on his shoulder. He was about to ask him why did he stop him but Hisagi gave him a nod to point his attention at Hinamori. Kira turned to look. To his surprise, Hinamori wiped away her tears with her sleeve and slowly got up to her feet. Hisagi and Kira gazed at her, and Renji still pretending to be mad watched through the corner of his eye, as she walked forward and her hand signaled to open a gate to Soul Society.

She didn't need anymore pity. She didn't need people constantly asking if she's alright. She didn't need people to feel sorry for her. She needed a stop-being-a-coward-taking-the-easy-way-out-and-deal-with-it slap to the face. Hinamori sighed. He was right. She needed take the first step and get up. She needed to piece back the shards of herself she had let go of so easily.

After Hinamori had stepped inside the gate, Kira and Hisagi walked up to Renji and glared at him. "For once your arrogant bluntness is put to good use, ne Kira?." Hisagi nudged Kira's side with his elbow.

The three men followed in after Hinamori. They walked in silence as they watched her lead the way with drops of crimson falling from her arm trail behind her. Hisagi and Kira looked at each other, they needed to hurry and get her back to the fourth division quarters but both were too scared to say anything. Midway through, Hinamori stopped and knelt down on her knees to catch her breath. A hand came and rested on her left shoulder. She looked up to meet Renji's eyes and warm smile telling her it's alright to need a little help sometimes. She nodded in acceptance to his advice. He leaned forward and picked her up to carry her the rest of the way. He felt the lack of warmth in her body and hastened his pace to run when she started shivering.

"A-Abarai-kun...Kira-kun..." she began studdering, "Hisagi-sempai...I'm ...sorry for saying those mean things...I shouldn't have.." she started to cry. Why didn't she get up sooner? Just as she began to piece her broken soul, it might be too late. She cursed at herself.

"Save your strength, Hinamori-san." Kira smiled at her.

"Abarai-kun..." he looked down to see her eyes halfway closed.

"Tell me later." he said to her.

"Tell...Hitsugaya-kun...tell him that I'm sorry."

"You can tell him that yourself after we get you to Unohana-taicho. Baka!" he expected her to yell at him, she never failed to talk back to anyone, even to taicho's. "Kuso..." he cursed under his breath when she stopped crying and didn't say anything.

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I tried my best to keep them in character. I thought Renji would be the best one to 'slap' her back to her sanity. Thank you once again! 


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again to everyone that read and reviewed! I'll try my best to keep updating like this!**

**Disclaimer: need I continue this?**

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With such enormous amounts of rooms in the first division quarters, it is a wonder why every single one of the rooms where built so huge. Each of them having at the minimum of three windows on the longer eastern wall of the rectangular room to let the warm sun in and two sliding doors, one on each end of the wall opposite the windows. And with so many rooms to decorate, they were all furnished the same, only with window curtains. Other than that, the rooms were barren. A door slid open in one of these rooms and three men walked in. Standing in the center of the room, their voices echoed off the wood paned floors and naked walls as they began a conference.

"What is her status?" said Yamamoto-soutaicho with one had stroking his 3 foot-long beard and the other holding his wooden cane.

"Hinamori-fukutaicho has been stabilized. However, Unohana-taicho said it may take a few days for her to wake up." Ukitake took a moment to cough and clear his throat and Yamamoto nodded his head.

"And what about that other thing they detected with Hinamori-kun?" he asked his fuku-taicho, still stroking his beard.

"Besides the arrancer, they detected the reiatsu of Ichimaru Gin, sir. It was there for a good ten minutes before disappearing." Sasakibe responded. They were silent for a few moments after Yamamoto hummed an 'I see' through his mouth and turned his back to contemplate. After making up his mind on something, he turned back around to instruct his fukutaicho on his next task.

"Notify Kurotshuchi-taicho to have Hinamori-kun undergo 'Memory Recovery' immediately."

"Yamamoto-dono, shouldn't we wait for her to wake up to ask her what happened?" Ukitake asked, trying to remain calm.

"We don't have the time. They have been moving along with their plans faster than expected. If there's something Gin may have told her, I need to know now." both hands now grasped his cane. He then turned to the door and took two steps before he was stopped by Ukitake's voice.

"Killing two birds with one stone I see. You question her loyalty that much?"

"We had three taicho's turn on us." Yamamoto sighed, being Ukitake's sensei he knew he would catch on quickly.

"That is all." Not wanting to get into an argument, Yamamoto proceeded to leave the room. Before stepping through the door, he called for Sasakibe, making sure he knew to proceed with his orders. With that, Yamamoto left Ukitake to watch him and his fukutaicho leave. Ukitake stood alone in the empty room, replaying in his head what had just been conversed. Shaking his head, he couldn't believe that Yamamoto would be so pressured on time to want to perform 'Memory Recovery' on someone. The procedure is harmless but used on an unconscious person it was an invasion of privacy. On top of that, there is no guarantee that Gin had told her valuable information. And her loyalty to Aizen, that was also uncertain, but that is not the way to resolute your doubt in one's devotion. He sighed and left the room.

Hitsugaya had looked forward to things calming down in the Seireitei and possibly have some peace upon returning from the living world. He looked forward to seeing her in person. But here he was, again, staring at Hinamori in the hospital bed from the door, not wanting to come any closer. It was the same as last time, she was wearing the familiar white hospital gown with her hair untied, only she wasn't connected to noisy machines and her right arm was bandaged in a sling around her neck. He had left her the first time, not knowing when or if she would wake. He wanted to stay but knew he couldn't do anything to help her. And with each sunset he watched in the living world, it ached at his heart as his mind uncontrollably reminisced about her. With nightfall, he found himself on the rooftops staring at the stars, wanting to grab one down so he could make a wish for her.

Hitsugaya had been standing in her room for a while until he turned to leave to take a break from the scene he had never wanted to see her in again. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall just outside her room. Ukitake and another shinigami holding a boxful of something came up to him.

"Hitsugaya-taicho! I knew I would find you here!" Ukitake smiled down to him and started to look through his sleeves. "Here! Have some snacks! I bet you're hungry!" he said cheerfully. This somewhat serenity won't last long, he thought to himself.

"I don't want any and who is that?" Hitsugaya pointed to the other shinigami behind Ukitake.

"Tsubokura Rin from squad 12, sir." he said in a shaky voice, he was quite right be scared as Hitsugaya was glaring at him and his box with mean eyes.

"He is here under the command of Yamamoto-dono to perform 'Memory Recovery' on Hinamori-kun." Ukitake expression turned serious.

"Ano, Kurotshuchi-taicho was suppose to do it but he said something about being busy researching arrancers and no one else seemed like they wanted to I wonder why but they were whispering something about being frozen to death but I don't know how because the procedure is harmless and..." he ranted on nervously while Hitsugaya was stood in shock. He needed a few moments for his brain to process what Ukitake had just said.

"A WHAT?"

"MEMORY RECOVERY, sir" Tsubokura enunciated loudly to Hitsugaya.

"I heard it the first time!"

"But you just-" he stopped talking when Hitsugaya shot him a keeping-speaking-and-you-will-die look.

"And why was he instructed to do so?" Hitsugaya tried for it to come out calmly, but whenever Hinamori was involved it was always nearly impossible.

"You know Hinamori came in contact with Gin. Yamamoto-dono requested to see what happened between them...immediately."

"That's ridiculous! Just wait for her to wake up and ask her!" he yelled.

"I'm afraid not. We don't know how many days it will take. Tsubokura-kun, go on ahead." Ukitake gestured for him to go in the room and start. "It's his command, Hitsugaya." he said when Hitsugaya took a step from where he was standing to stop him from walking in.

"I'm not leaving her alone with him." he was about to follow Tsubokura in when he was stopped by Ukitake. "It's best to leave them. For her privacy." he advised him.

Hitsugaya cursed under his breath. _Why, dammit! Why is Yamamota so eager to know!_ "I'm going to speak to Yamamoto about this." Before Ukitake could protest, Hitsugaya ran off in a flash.

Tsubokura slowly walked in the poorly lit room and glanced at the girl asleep. He placed his box on a table against the wall not too far from the bed. Ukitake walked in and informed him to report to Yamamoto-dono when he was finished here and left to catch up with Hitsugaya. Tsubokura began to unpack his equipment from the box and place them neatly on the table. He pulled out a small monitor, keyboard, a lot of wires and several other things. He took two of the wires that were connected to a device with lots of red lights blinking on and off and tried to extend them to reach the girl on the bed but it was short a few feet. Tsubokura retracted the wires and started to pull the table closer. SCREEEECH the metal table scratched against the floor.

"Sumimasen!" he apologized to the sleeping girl for the ruckus. After moving the table right beside the bed, he again took the wires and stretched them to the girls head. The ends of the wires had white circular adhesives which he carefully attached to her temples. With a few more preparations done, he started the procedure.

"Ah, finished, Hinamori-fukutaicho." he said to the silent patient. It had been almost twenty minutes since he began.

"Finished with what?" Tsubokura heard a small voice behind him say and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"H-Hinamori-fukutaicho! You're awake!" a small beep came from the machine indicating the wanted memories were retrieved and recorded successfully was ignored by the operator not paying attention.

"Tsubokura Rin desu, from squad 12. I'm here on orders of Yamamoto-dono for 'Memory Recovery'. He wanted the memories from when you encountered Ichimaru. Ano, Kurotshuchi-taicho was suppose to do it but he said something about being busy researching arrancers and no one else seemed like they wanted to I wonder why but they were whispering..."

Hinamori had a hard time comprehending the first two sentences as she peeled the adhesive to the wires off her head. She pushed herself up with her left hand into a sitting position. "Wait, Tsu- Tsubokura-kun was it?" she interrupted him and he answered with a yes. "Yamamoto-dono wanted to see what happened between me and Ichimaru?" Tsubokura nodded.

_Yamamoto couldn't wait for me to wake up to tell him?_ Hinamori thought to herself. _No, that's not it. He..can't..trust my words. _She hung her head down feeling ashamed. Looking back on the last time she was in his presence, how could he? Her hand grabbed the sheets as she remembered asking Yamamoto to speak to Hitsugaya-kun throught the tele-communication device. It went well, until..._Please...please save Aizen-taicho! Someone else must be forcing Aizen-taicho..._

"Hinamori-san, since you're awake now..." his voice cut off her thoughts. "would you like me to discard this? You can inform Sou-taicho yourself."

She took a deep sigh and wiped the tears that almost fell from her eyes, "No, please keep it."

"But-"

"He should see it for himself." Tsubokura understood and began packing up his equipment into the box.

The door opened, "Hinamori-san!" Isane ran up to Hinamori's side when she saw her trying to get off the hospital bed. "You have to stay in bed. And you.." she looked at Tsubokura, "what are you doing in here?"

"Tsubokura Rin desu, from squad 12. I'm here on orders of Yamamoto-dono for 'Memory Recovery'. Ano, Kurotshuchi-taicho was-"

"Orders from Yamamoto." Hinamori cut him off. "And I'm going with him." she demanded.

Isane knew her fellow fukutaicho was very stubborn so avoiding any stress she agreed to let Hinamori go. "Well, then let me help you get dressed." She walked Hinamori to the adjacent bathroom.

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**Ugh, it feels shorter and shorter with each chapter. Sorry! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Story notes:**

**_Italics _are thoughts,**

**(anything in parenthesis is what is seen/heard on the monitor)**

**and -Static- is static (i.e. television static).**

** There is also a recap of what happened in ch.1, it was shortened because we all know what happened.  
**

* * *

At Division 1, Hitsugaya stood in the room with Ukitake and Yamamoto with his arms crossed. His plan didn't work at all. Yamamoto refused to take back the order. And refusing to leave, Hitsugaya waited in the room where Tsubokura was to report to Yamamoto when everything was complete. He had nothing to do but stare at the wall while Yamamoto looked like he feel asleep standing up. Ukitake left shortly thereafter, his health wouldn't let him put up with the standing for so long. It felt like aeons had passed before the sound of the door sliding open woke them. 

"Hina...mori" his eyes fixed on the fragile girl at the doorway. She had dark circles under her eyes, her hair was down and she seemed to have lost weight since he last saw. He eyed her arm in the sling and clenched his jaw.

"Yamamoto-dono! She's awake, you can ask her!"

"It's ok, Hitsugaya-kun." she gave a small smile to reassure him. "I would like for him to see."

Hinamori nodded to Tsubokura to go ahead and play the recording. He walked forward to the big machine behind Yamamoto. The device came up to his waist and was covered with all sorts of buttons and levers. The attached screen was huge, wide as the wall and tall as the ceiling. Tsubokura inserted the disk with the recording. The monitor turned on and static filled the screen. Hinamori, Hitsugaya and Yamamoto watched him tune the device. The static stopped and something showed up on the screen.

(She stood in a grassy field of her divisions training ground, holding her zanpakuto in front of her. "Come on, Tobiume! I promise to clean you more often!")

"Ah, sumamosen! It must have gotten recorded by accident." Tsubokura rubbed the back of his head.

-Static-

(Gin stood ooking down with the same smile he always wore. "I'm so glad to see you alive, Hina-chan.")

("You made him do those things!")

["Gomen ne Hinamori-chan, it wasn't me.")

("Ma, you were his favorite pet if that makes you feel better, Hina-chan!")

("Ikorose, Shinshou")

Everyone watched uneasily as Gin's zanpakuto pierced her shoulder, blood could be seen splattering across her vision. Gin's figure grew smaller as she was being pushed back until, THUD, cracking could be heard. Hinamori watched from behind without any hesitation. The screen went black a few times as the 'camera' blinked. As it refocused, it was staring down at her legs, a small puddle of blood collected at her feet.

"Is that enough?" Hitsugaya wanted to sound calm, but who could after watching the most important person to you get attacked.

Yamamoto opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the loud static of the monitor.

-Static-

[She was kneeling with her two hands on the wet ground. It was raining heavily, by the sound of it, most likely it was a storm. Her wet sleeves where white, she wasn't wearing her shinigami uniform. She was panting with small cries. She was upset about something. A small whisper of her name was heard through the sounds of the rain hitting the cement ground. It was a mans voice. The 'camera' looked up to see Kira standing over her. He started to lean down, getting closer.[

-Static-

(Now she was covered with something black. The scenery was moving. She was being carried. The 'camera' shot up to Kira's face for a second. He was unnaturally close and his kimono was missing.)

-Static-

His fists clenched. He didn't want to see anymore of Hinamori's private life mistakenly recorded, "Tsubokura! Cut it-"

("Hinamori admired you.")

Hitsugaya was interrupted by the sound of his own voice. He stared at the monitor. The 'camera' was at a weird angle. It was oddly close to the floor and a part of a foot could be seen in the top right corner. He held his breath in shock when he realized why the background seemed familiar. It was Chamber 46.

("there is nothing easier to manipulate")

_His voice_...

["I pushed for her to be my subordinate")

_Aizen!_

-Static-

("Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding")

-Static-

The recording was jumbled and frequently cut off by static as though they were watching someone flip through the channels on a television.

-Static-

(Aizen's zanpakuto skewered in to Hinamori's chest, covered in her blood.)

-Static-

("I should have diced her into tiny pieces so that you wouldn't be able to find her")

-Static-

("You should remember this")

-Static-

("The real me.")

This time the static stayed. They stared at the screen, unable to speak at what they just witnessed. Hitsugaya shot around to Hinamori. Her eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar from shock. He knew it wasn't the whole conversation, but it was enough to do some damage.

"Hinamori, are you ok?" Hitsugaya slowly walked towards her.

_Dice her into tiny pieces_..It kept replaying in her head. Tears streamed down her face as she started crying, covering her mouth with her hand. It made her sick to her stomach thinking about the horrific words he spoke. _Dice her into tiny pieces. _She could have hurled up all the contents in her stomach but luckily, she hadn't ate yet.Her knees began to shake. _Dice her into tiny pieces_. How could she? How could she have put such a wicked man on her pedestal? She had put him up so high, she couldn't see the real monster standing above. _The real me. _She couldn't take it anymore. Her vision became blurry and her body light.

"HINAMORI!" Hitsugaya screamed and ran to her, catching her in his arms as she fainted.

Hitsugaya stood in her room at the fourth division. Again, he watched her lay in the hospital bed. He walked from the door to the window. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and eyes out the window, staring at the moon.

Hinamori slowly opened her eyes. She laid still on the bed, remembering what happened moments before she collapsed. '_Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding'. _She shook her head, not wanting to think about him anymore. Hinamori placed the back of her hand on her forehead. '_You get up and you run!' _Renji's words came to her. She let out a little sigh. _Getting up was the easy part,__the rest is_...

"Easier said than done." she said to herself out loud.

"Do you always talk to yourself when you're alone?" she yelped in surprise and sat up to see Hitsugaya standing by the window.

"Hitsugaya-kun! What are you doing sneaking in someones room?" interrogating him.

"Hinamori!" he said loudly. "I told you it's Hitsugaya-taicho!"

"Then what is a _taicho_ doing lurking around in someone elses room! Honestly, the way you taicho's sneak around, its a miracle I haven't gotten a heart attack yet." he couldn't help but smile at her remark. She contagiously smiled back.

"Ne, Hitsugaya-kun..." their smiles faded, the aura in the room turned serious. "Why don't I remember what happened? After I was stabbed, I don't remember hearing all that."

Hitsugaya turned to his side, away from Hinamori. He cleared his throat, "After a person falls unconscious, the brain still records everything that is going on. Sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for a few minutes. And because you were unaware, the memory just sits in the back of your head."

"Sugoi! Hitsugaya-kun is so smart!" she looked so innocent with big glaring eyes as if he had just shown her an incredible magic trick. He laughed in his head. He too was curious and had asked Tsubokura earlier.

"They didn't make me taicho for nothing." he gloated.

"Baka. It's late, you need to get more sleep if you don't want to look like a panda." He changed the subject.

"Eh? Hitsugaya-kun needs to sleep more if you want to grow!" she retorted and giggled when he looked a bit flustered, not expecting her hit him where he was most sensitive. "You had that one coming." still giggling.

He looked at her when the laughter subsided, the aura of the room changed again, it felt gloomy. Her eyes were looking down at the sheets. She had missed these moments, the random little conversations of nothing important that never failed to distract her from whatever predicament she was in. It always lifted her spirit, letting her forget everything in the world but the two of them.

"What's wrong, Hinamori?" _She's not going to tell me, _he thought to himself.

She gave him a smile, "Nothing is wrong. Just a bit tired. That's all."

_I knew it,_ he sighed, "Unohana will come for a checkup first thing in the morning, alright? Get some sleep. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, Hitsugaya-kun." she watched him leave.

Hinamori sat in the bed, alone in the room. The silence captured her and she hated it. The dead air let her thoughts run through her head loudly. Tears started to collect itself at the bottom of her eyes. Her hand grabbed at the white hospital yukuta at her chest, her heart was aching with every beat it took. "Baka, Hinamori! Don't cry!...Don't cry.." she scolded herself to not break down but it only twisted the knife. Unable to hold back, she released the cries, her soul screaming in anguish. She wept until the tears stopped and the exhaustion compelled her to fall into a deep slumber.

A shadow from the other side of her room door slowly turned and trudged away.

* * *

**I know Aizen's speech thing was kinda weird, but if you remember in the anime it didn't go in that order and it's basically cut to the main parts I wanted Hinamori to hear. **

**I am very upset at all the non-Hinamori clips of the new movie that have been shown. What the hell?! It's a freakin movie about Hitsugaya and we don't get any Hinamori?! Hooray for Hitsugaya screen time but I want to see Hinamori more. WTF Kubo! Honestly, you're just feeding my anguish of all the non-Hinamori in the manga/anime/upcoming movie. But I have some hope that her lack of attendance is not fruitless and Kubo intends to have her in the 'Aizen showdown'. **

**P.S. thank you for reading 3**


	5. Chapter 5

Hitsugaya sat at his desk with his hands holding his head above the table. He watched the sun rise that morning. He had not gotten much sleep the night before. His mind kept lingering to the girl in agony. He loitered outside her door, listening to her cry her heart out. As much as it tormented his own heart, he could not move his feet from where they stood. Silently, he bared it with her.

Abruptly, Hitsugaya slammed a fist on the desk. The sound was loud enough to startle the slumbering Matsumoto on the couch and awoke her. She sat up and to ask her taicho what was the matter but before she could slip a word from her mouth he instructed her to stay at the office while he went for a walk. Matsumoto watched his back as he left.

He just walked. Walked anywhere his feet led him, aimlessly, without any destination in mind. He stopped in his tracks to see where he had unconsciously gone, he looked around and saw that he was not too far from the 3rd division. He instantly thought of the 3rd division fuku-taicho, Kira, then to him and Hinamori, then to the recording of them from Hinamori's memories. He clenched his fists and walked into the 3rd division office.

"H-Hitsugaya-taicho! What can I do for you?" a startled Kira stood up from his desk to bow.

"A few days after Hinamori awoke from her coma, she was reported missing for three hours. Unohona's report stated that you found her. Tell me the details." Hitsugaya crossed his arms and remained standing in front of Kira, refusing his offer for him to have a seat.

_Kuso! He's really serious! _Beads of sweat started to form on Kira's forehead from the nervousness. "Well, it was as you said, sir. Everyone was alerted to keep a look out for Hinamori and return her to the 4th division if spotted." Kira paused, Hitsugaya didn't look satisfied.

"I said details."

"Yes, sir. Um, I heard the alert so I went to look for her." He relaxed a bit and began to tell him the events that followed.

Hinamori sat in the hospital bed, still trying to grasp the reality she had woken to just two days prior. She didn't know what to believe in. A hand rose up to her chest, her fingers gently brushed across the scar, the last gift he had left her. The evidence was there, but she refused to accept it and pulled her hand away. She turned to look out the window. The weather was fairly cloudy, even though summer barely ended. She eyed her zanpakuto that was laying on the table beside the window.

The last check-up was twenty minutes ago. The next with be at least two, maybe three hours from now. Contempt with her plans, she climbed out of the bed, walked towards the window and tip-toed to open the latch. She grabbed her zanpakuto, took a breath and ascended out the window.

He ran to the 5th division office. Out of breath, he opened the door but the office was empty. He stood outside, looking up at the clouded sky. _It's going to rain soon._ Kira thought to himself. If she was outdoors, he needed to find her quickly. He ran to the 4th division, to her room. Once inside, he closed his eyes and concentrated on her reitsu, trying to pick up whatever minuscule trail she may have left behind. He traced the flow of reitsu to the window and leaped out and continued to chase it.

A loud roar of thunder whipped in his ears and water began to rapidly fall. He ran to what felt like the other side of the Seireitei. He wondered how Hinamori could have so much energy to go so far after waking up from a coma recently. Kira slowed his running when he finally came upon where she had be going. He looked up and squinted, observing the area. His eyes widened as he saw her tiny figure sitting on the execution ground.

Quickly he ran up the cement stairs carved into the hill, leading to the execution ground. He reached the top and continued to run towards the girl, leaving his tracks in the mud. The resonating sound of the rain drops hitting the ground cloaked over his foot steps as he came up to her without her noticing. Hinamori was sitting on the ground that now turned into mud, due to the rain. The white hospital yukuta was drenched with water and stuck to her pale skin. Tobiume was erected into the mud. She sat staring at her zanpakuto. Hinamori's body was shaking to the cold rain, and her crying. Her bangs hovered over her eyes while the side hairs stuck to her cheeks. She hunched forward with her hands grasping the mud, she suddenly screamed, filled with anguish. She almost let out another scream of surprise when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

Kira knelt down beside her. "I can't call her." slowly she spoke. "Tobiume, I need to talk to her! But she's not responding..." she cried, shivering. Kira loosened the obi sash and took off his kimono and wrapped it around her, trying his best to shield her from the rain. Thunder was constantly booming around them.

"You're just tired, that's all." he calmly told her. "You _did_ just woke up from the coma." he took her zanpakuto and sheathed it. He then held out his hand to help her up and get out of the rain but she gave him a worried look. "I can't get up...". He realized she must have used all her energy to get here, she must be exhausted. Kira picked up Tobiume and placed it in his obi sash, where Wabisuke usually was. He extended his arms out to Hinamori and she nodded. He gave her a small smile as he picked her up.

She let her head nest on his chest, "He's not coming back, is he?". Kira kept walking, not sure of how to answer her. "None of them are." he finally said to her. She thought for a few moments about his response.

"I'm sorry. How are you holding up?" she felt guilty for being so selfish, she had completely forgot his taicho was also gone. "I'm fine." he smiled down to her. A sudden thunder clashed, causing Hinamori to shake. "We need to hurry out of this storm. Hold on, I'm going to shunpo." She nodded, securing herself in his arms.

"And then I _walked_ her back to the infirmary." Kira finished telling Hitsugaya. Although he changed the events a bit, he didn't go into such details, feeling embarrassed. He gave him the gist on Hinamori, enough to satisfy his curiosity of what happened that day.

"I see." an eyebrow rose. He had already seen through the facade.

Hitsugaya eyed the window behind Kira, particularly the small vase on the window sill holding a single stem of a yellow lily. He had seen the same flower somewhere before. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and turned his back to Kira. "Arigato."

"Of course. Anything else I can do for-"

"Arigato...for taking care of her." with that, Hitsugaya left the office.

Kira stood alone in awe, "You're lucky, Hinamori. To have such a person to care about you like he does."

Hitsugaya walked out the front gate of the 3rd division. He paused and looked over his shoulder at the giant insignia. Saying thanks the way he had just done, he felt like he was surrendering Hinamori over to Kira. But why? And why did it hurt? He should be content to be able to rely on someone else to watch over her when he can't.

He can't. He's a taicho now, he can't. Simply put, a taicho is the best to protect a person,but in this situation, obligations to Soul Society get in the way. But she never was his to begin with, was she? Hitsugaya shook his head to shake out his foolish thoughts and began to walk. No, he shouldn't think of her as an object of someones possession, and certainly will not 'give up' Hinamori. He will continue ahead and protect her. After all, it was that passion she gave him that led him to hear Hyourinmaru's name and as long as the will burned within him, he will use that power to keep her safe. That vow he made so long ago wavered for a split second in his mind and again he shook it off to continue walking towarrds the 4th division.

"Arigato, demo...I don't need an escort back to my quarters." Hinamori politely told the 4th division shinigami as they walked out the gates.

"I must. It's Unohana's orders."

"Then..." she thought for a second. "You can pretend you did! Go have some tea to kill some time!" she merrily told him and took her belonging he was holding for her from his hand. Walking off, she turned her head and smiled back reassure him she was fine.

"You're released already?" Hitsugaya appeared in front of her from no where, she wasn't looking where she was going and almost ran into him and lost her grip on the object she was holding. "AH!"

Hitsugaya grabbed it before it could hit the ground. He handed it back to her, "What's with the flowers?"

"Oh, someone left it in my room while I was in the infirmary, but I don't know who. Must have been while I was sleeping." Hitsugaya looked at the vase of yellow lilies in her hand. "I thought I would bring it back to the office. Beautiful aren't they? I didn't know they still bloomed this time of year." she had a radiant smile. He smiled to himself, she must be feeling a lot better today.

"Oh! I need to hurry back, there's a fukutaicho meeting in about half an hour. Hitsugaya-kun, theres a taicho meeting too, right?"

"Yeah, you'd better get going."

She waved him 'bye' and walked away. Hitsugaya watched her long dark hair bounce with each step she took, and a random breeze flew by, making them dance off her shoulders. She looked lovely with her hair down in contrast to the bun it was always in that made her appear much older than she really was. His eyes made its way down from her hair to her arm, holding the vase of flowers. The same flower he saw sitting on Kira's window sill.

"Ohayou, mina!" Hinamori walked in to the meeting room cheerfully.

"Hinamori-chan! You're in a good mood today!" Matsumoto gave her a hug, or rather her bosoms did. "And your hair, it's grown out quite long, ne?"

"Oh, yeah. With one arm I could only manage to comb it." Hinamori glanced behind Matsumoto, looking for someone. "Where's Abarai-kun? I wanted to thank him."

"Renji is missing. Along with Kuchiki Rukia."

* * *

**Just a Little Note: I like to keep with the same timeline as the the manga as close as I can, so even though I mentioned Renji and Rukia, the main focus is still Hinamori and Hitsugaya. However, it will probably cut to where Hitsugaya goes to the mission in the new movie and since Hinamori appears to not be in the movie, I will edit her in myself :D It's a bit slow but it's to build up their relationship. Even though I absolutely enjoy reading the fluffy HitsuHina, this isn't one of those. I adore the pair and keeping true to their characters to the best of my writing/imaginative abilities, they will have to go through many hardships before anything fluffy can happen. And yay for the recent manga! Acadamy Hinamori is so cute! As for Matsumoto, whom I love too, her appearance will fuel a lot of the HitsuMatsu ships I predict. No shota for me.**

**Once again, thank you all dearly for reading. :D**

**P.S.**

**PrincessOfHeartsNYP , I just read your comment and I lol'd, seriously. "No Momo, No Movie!" That was my thoughts exactly!**


	6. Chapter 6

Only the small sounds of her solitary footsteps could be heard. She walked slowly, not knowing where for it was pitch black. Her breathing deepened, her heart pounding so hard it threatened to jump out of her chest. She stopped walking when a low moan came from behind her. Waiting for whatever made the noise to speak up again she held her breath. _Hinamori_.She cringed, never had she heard her name spoken so maliciously, so evil. A black fog of smoke blew towards her, it started to rise and take form of a body. An arm solidified and stretched out to reach for her, she took a step back. Hinamori heaved in a deep breath, "SHIRO-CHAN!" she closing her eyes screamed with every ounce of air in her lungs. Silence. She opened her eyes, expecting for the dark figure to have disappeared but still it stood in front of her. It's hand again reached out for her arm and this time it didn't miss. The instant it came in to contact with her skin her whole body was paralyzed and a sharp pain rang in her chest as her heart stopped beating.

Hinamori shot up to a sitting position in her futon._ That damned dream again. _She wiped the sweat from her forehead. For the past few days she had been having horrible dreams. Sometimes after she called his name, he would show up to rescue her, but she would realize the assailant overpowered Hitsugaya and he was in danger of being killed so she jumps in the way. And with all the dreams, they ended the same with the unidentified stranger grabbing a hold of her, ceasing the beating of her heart.

Every morning she took a few minutes after dressing to sit outside her balcony, gazing at the new day's sun. She then closed her eyes and let the warmth of the sun wash away the remains of the nightmare. _Yosh! _Ready to start her duties, she headed out room towards the 5th division office.

The day went by slowly as Hinamori didn't have much work to do. She was excused from paper work until her arm fully recovered for no one could read her left-hand scribbles. She tried her best to make it legible, but it came out like 'chicken-scratch' as Hisagi described. She hated special treatment so she continued do to the work until Yamamoto demanded that she stop for it caused more work to decipher her reports. Beaten, she spent most of the day supervising her division training.

Late afternoon she had a check-up appointment with Unohoana. Hinamori walked out the 4th division with a sigh, disappointed that she still needed to wear the sling for at least one more day. She smiled when an idea came to mind to visit Hitsugaya. Maybe she could convince him to take a break from the work he was always consumed himself in to have tea and snacks with her. Merrily, she strolled to his office.

-Knock, knock-

No one answered. Hinamori entered the office to find it completely empty, puzzled to not find Hitsugaya behind stacks of paper. Little murmurs came from the adjacent dining room, she slid the door open to see Matsumoto, Kira and Hisagi with bottles of sake on the table.

"It's not close to evening yet, isn't it early for sake?" Matsumoto grinned and pointed out the window. The tangerine sun slowly dwindled down and touched the horizon to mark the time of dusk. On queue, Matsumoto gulped down the first cup of sake that night. Hinamori looked at her friend, bewildered. She glanced over to Kira and Hisagi who had their sake cups full, "Kampai!" they yelled before gulping it down. She smiled, _it's nice to be so carefree_.

Several hours later, Hitsugaya returned to his office. He headed towards his desk but stopped when he heard loud clamors from the next room. He reached out his hand to the door when it suddenly slid open for him. "Ah! Hitsugaya-kun!" Hinamori spoke between hiccups. "You're late! I have to go now." she stumbled passed him to leave.

_I'm late? Late for what? Wait. Is she...is she DRUNK? _Hitsugaya quickly ran after her. "Hinamori, why did you drink, you know you can't tolerate sake well. That Matsumoto, she's going to get it!"

"It's not her, I wanted -hiccup- to." she said smiling, her face was blushed from the alcohol.

Hitsugaya looked at the floor, "That's not like you." he muttered.

Hinamori turned her face away, "It hurts." He stared at her back the whole time she was silent. She dashed around with a false smile, "Matsumoto suggested some sake to relieve the pain in my arm. -hiccup- And it works!" still forcing herself to smile she bid him a goodnight and left. He didn't have to be a tensai to know what pain she was referring to.

Hinamori sat at her desk, rubbing her hand that was sore. It was a relief to have use of her arm back, the only drawback was having to catch up on the paperwork she had missed the earlier that week. She put the pen down and set the paperwork aside to be finished later and picked up her copy of the Seireitei News Hisagai delivered to her, remembering that he said it was a special edition. Hinamori flipped through the pages, scanning for something interesting to read. Her jaws dropped when she stopped at the center fold to see two full pages worth of pictures of Hitsugaya. Most of them seemed to be taken without his knowledge and the few that had him actually looking into the camera captured an angry scowling face. She couldn't help but giggle out loud, "This must be Matsumoto's doing."

"I did a good job, ne?" a snickering voice startled to Hinamori almost completely fall out of her chair.

"Hitsugaya-kun will be angry with you, Matsumoto-san."

"That's why I left the office as soon as Hisagi dropped off the magazine." they giggled together.

Hinamori flipped the magazine closed. She looked down at the ads and little announcements on the back cover. "The first district of Rukongai, Junrinan, will be holding the first ever autumn festival." she read aloud. "But why is this in the Seireitei news?"

"So whom ever wants to can watch the fireworks from the rooftops." Matsumoto laid on the couch, probably about to take her nap.

"Oh, I see. I've never been to one. It's tonight, want to go, Matsumoto?" she asked her with puppy eyes.

"Nah, that's not my type of thing. I'm drinking with the guys later." Hinamori looked a bit sad at the rejection. "Why don't you go with Taicho? You're both from Junrinan."

"That's right, I'll ask Hitsugaya-kun to go!"

"Have a wonderful time, ok?" she smirked, "so he can forget about the pictures."

Hinamori walked to Hitsugaya's office. She had always heard about how fun festivals were, but she had never had the chance to attend one. She couldn't wait to go and with Hitsugaya, whom she had missed spending time with. So excited, she didn't bother to knock on the door. "Hitsugaya-kun!" chanting his name.

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho!" emphasizing on the _taicho,_ his not so cheery voice came from behind stacks of paper. He didn't bother to look up as he had heard her distinct stomping and anticipated her arrival.

"Ne, Hitsugaya-kun, did you hear? Jurinan is holding a first ever autumn festival." she came up to his desk.

"Yes I did. It's a waste of time. We should be preparing for the upcoming battle." He was right, how could she have forgotten the bigger picture. "Why do you ask?"

"N-no reason. You're right, Hitsugaya-kun. It's a waste of time. Forget that I came by." she forced a smile and ran out of the room.

_Kuso_. Why did he have to be so unpleasent towards her. He sighed. He didn't mean to be, it just comes out that way when he speaks with her ever since they first met, and it had never bothered her. He wondered what it was that she wanted.

Back in her room, Hinamori searched through her closet for a decent yukata to wear. Even after Hitsugaya had told her it was a waste of time, she still wanted to go, even if it meant by herself. This was a once in a life time chance for her. Maybe not, but she would like to think so to ease her conscience. She looked at the time, it was already nightfall and she began to panic, _its going to start soon! _

A few hours later, Matsumoto assumed that it was safe to return to her bedroom (Hitsugaya's office). "Taicho!" she was startled to see her taicho at the office when he was suppose to be out with Hinamori. "What are you doing here?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? This is the office, not your bedroom."

"No, I meant, shouldn't you be at the festival with Hinamori?"

"What are you talking about?" then it hit him. Why she came by earlier, to ask him to go with her to the festival.

"Did she not come by to ask you?"

"No." or rather, he didn't let her. He crushed her hope of them going together before she could ask. He wanted kicked his own ass for being an ass.

Matsumoto knew he didn't want to speak anymore on the issue and went to the next room and waited for her drinking buddies to come.

Meanwhile at the festival, Hinamori was have a great time. She played all the games at every booth, not wanting to miss out on anything. Even the food, she bought two bags full of snacks. After eating and all the walking she had done, she stopped by a bar to rest before calling it a night. "A glass of water please." she ordered from the bartender.

"Hey, you look lonely, why don't you come have a drink." a man gestured to the table he and several of his friends were sitting. "No thank you." she politely responded.

"You're young, you should be having fun." a man from the table said. She smiled, "I am."

"You can't have fun alone." He was right. Hinamori was trying her best to enjoy the festival, but it was hard as she looked at the couples and families laughing together.

A man from the table was studying her face, there was something familiar about her. "Ah! You're Hinamori Momo from next door! You used to come by and play with my kids. You left a long time ago and became a shinigami, right?"

"Oh! I remember! How is everyone?" the man didn't answer and everyone was quiet. That meant only one thing. Feeling guilty for bringing up unwanted memories for him, she grabbed a sake glass and chugged it down. The four men sat stared at her, surprised. "We were joking, you don't have to drink."

"I want to have fun." she slammed the cup on the table. With her arms on her hips, she proclaimed "He said it's a waste of time but I'm going to have fun away!" she pointed a finger at them. "Am I right?!"

"Um, sure!" they agreed, a bit frightened at the petite girl ordering more sake. What have they done?

Many sake bottles later, Hinamori was still at the table drinking. "So I said to him, 'Smooth move, Exlax!" everyone bursted from laughter, they were so, so drunk.

After the last story, she grabbed her two bags of snacks and bid everyone farewell. She came to the west gate and gave one of the bags of snacks to the gate keeper, Jidanbo. What a wonderful girl, he thought, even drunk she is still generous as ever. She dragged her feet through the streets of Seireitei. She looked at the bag of snacks she still had left, she wouldn't be able to finish it all. Hinamori smiled and quickened her pace when she remembered Matsumoto and the guys. They would love some food with the sake.

Hitsugaya sat on the rooftop, watching the last of the fireworks bloom and fade in the sky. He was still angry at himself, after knowing Hinamori wanted to go he still couldn't find the nerves to ask her himself. _She probably asked someone else_, _she'll have a better time with them,_ he wanted to believe. Loud voices from beneath him caught his attention, and her reitsu. He hopped off the roof to investigate. He slid the door open, "What is all the-" he stopped speaking when he saw her standing at the table with Matsumoto in the mist of pouring her a cup of sake. They looked like mischievous little kids caught in the act of doing something rotten. But that wasn't why he couldn't speak, it was her. The vision of her in the beautiful maroon yukata with white peach blossoms decoration and a golden-tan obi sash to match her honey dew eyes made him speechless. Her hair was up in a pony-tail by a pink flower scrunchy and a small peach blossom clipped on the side of her bangs. She was his definition of beautiful, angelic, divine, gorgeous all put together.

Snapping back to reality, he glared at Matsumoto pouring her a drink. "Hinamori, you know you can't handle sake." trying to deal with the matter at hand without getting caught staring at Hinamori.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "So you're saying I'm weak?". Crap, she was already drunk and she tended to get aggressive sometimes, too bad this was one of those times.

"N-no I'm not! I'm just saying your tolerance is low." Hitsugaya tried to straighten things out but still she stared waiting for him to say one more wrong word. She gulped down the cup of sake and shoved it to Matsumoto to pour another.

"Hina-" -Gulp- she drank as soon as sake was filled to the brim.

"-mori!" -Gulp- she chugged another one, saying "I'm not weak." in a monotone voice. Matsumoto was having a great time watching her taicho struggle and she continued to serve Hinamori more sake. He should know the more he speaks the more he provokes her. Kira and Hisagi couldn't help but to laugh and drink with her.

"Hitsugaya-kun needs to loosen up." She finally spoke to him.

"How many times must I tell you, its Hitsugaya-taicho." thats right, play the usual bickering-but-not-really-bickering-more-like-playfully-teasing card to change the subject.

Hinamori plopped down to the empty seat beside Matsumoto. "Hitsugaya-kun is so mean!" she cried on Matsumoto's shoulder.

_Kuso! What did I do?! _Hitsugaya panicked behind his frigid exterior he was trying to keep stable. "I'm leaving." she got up. "Everyone enjoy the snacks! Oyasumi!"

She turned around and gave Hitsugaya a cold look, "Oyasumi, Hitsugaya-TAICHO." Hinamori walked out, occasionally hiccuping. She finally said it, but he never wanted it to be this way. Her voice rang loudly in his ears.

"Have you ever really thought about why she doesn't call you 'taicho'?" Matsumoto asked him in a more serious tone. "She still sees me as the little kid in Ruongai."

"Are you sure about that, _tensai_." she snickered behind the sake cup she held in front of her mouth.

He shot her a cold look from the corner of his eyes."What was that?"

"I said, 'Are you sure about that, _taicho_'." she smiled.

He had always thought that was the reason. She didn't stop calling him Shiro-chan until he entered the shinigami academy, it changed to Hitsugaya-kun. So when he became taicho, it should naturally graduate to Hitsugaya-taicho, right? He had forgotten about it long ago and it just became a routine to say it. He sighed and walked to his room. Give him hollows and arrancars any day and he can handle. Hell, give him Aizen (again). But her, she will be the death of him. Hitsugaya changed into his sleeping yukata and collapsed on his futon, mentally exhausted. Yet again, he won't be having a good night sleep.

* * *

**Hinamori is a crazy drunk. **

**The description of Hinamori in a yukata came from a fanart, Momo-fans should check it out http://afglo2. The artist is very talented, I love his drawings of Hinamori. Main page: http://afglo2. and click on 'Creation'. Although it says to have Japanese fonts, you can still look links, I just randomly click around at the links :D**

**Thank you to my reviewers and to those who added my story to the alert/favorite list!**


	7. Chapter 7

Aizen stood up on the execution hill, he looked at her with those warm caring eyes she had always known. He reached a hand out to her, waiting for her to follow him. Right behind him, a portal to Hueco Mundo ripped the sky apart. Gin and Tousen appeared from behind her and glided by. The air brushed gently across her face as they passed her, straight into the portal. They stepped inside and turned around, waiting for him. Again he gestured his hand to her. She hesitated, not knowing if she should follow. Her hand slowly reached out to his, slightly trembling she took a step forward. His smile grew as she came closer. Just as their hands were nearly touching, a call of her name caused her to snap her arm back.

Hinamori turned around to find a gathering of her shinigami friends. Everyone she held dear to her heart, Kira, Matsumoto, Nanao, Renji, all of them. And there at the front of the crowd he stood gazing at her with his teal orbs that pleaded her no to go. On all of their faces were expressions of sorrow. His struck her heart the hardest. Hinamori turned back to Aizen with an uncertain look, not sure of what to do. Aizen's smiled disappeared, displeased at the current situation. Hinamori stepped a foot back, frightened at the bitter face her handsome taicho made. Behind him in the gateway to another world, Gin and Tousen smiled a wicked grin that made her queasy. Something foreboding was to come.

Aizen flicked his arm in the air above his head. Hinamori waited for something to happen to her, but nothing did. It wasn't her that he stared at, but behind her. She thrust around to the people behind her and one by one they were slashed down by a blade she was unable to see. Blood spewed from their bodies as they collapsed to their death. One by one they were struck down until he was the only one standing in a sea of corpses. Hinamori ran up to Aizen, grabbing his kimono. She pleaded to Aizen, not him! No, not him!

The girl glanced up to the man in hope that he had enough of a heart to let the boy live. One last swift movement of his arm and he smiled. Her heart sank as she slowly curved around to look behind. Hitsugaya stood in the lake of blood scattered with the lifeless bodies of her friends. His looked in her eyes with disappointment that she had chosen to follow that man this far. The unseen blade ripped into his across his torso diagonally, his blood gushed out violently. He fell to his knees, dismayed eyes still fixated on her. A tear ran down his cheek before he completely collapsed and the life drained from his eyes.

No. No. This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to be with Aizen again. But not like this. Hinamori stared at Aizen, questioning why he had to do this. Why must he kill them? He scoffed at her, she shouldn't have hesitated to come to him, nothing is holding her back anymore. Aizen turned his back to her and joined Gin and Tousen in the portal. He stared down at the girl, she lost her value. She was useless, not worth taking with them to Hueco Mundo. Hinamori looked at them, horrified that they were leaving her behind alone with everyone gone. She got up and ran after the men, hoping to reach them before the gate completely closed. She ran and reached the edge of the cliff, she was still too far. The gate closed shut and all traces of its existence vanished in the sky.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, Hinamori watched the little loose rocks break off and fall below into the void. She glanced over her shoulder at the massacre her stupidity created, eyes focused on the boy with the stained white taicho haori. She faced forward and closed her eyes, feeling the wind dance around her. With her last exhale of air, she ceased control of balancing her body and let the gust of wind from behind shove her off the cliff.

Hinamori awoke in the middle of the night sweating and lightly heaving from dream she had. Lately, her dreams have been taking over her. The subconscious of her mind creating a world that her heart dearly wanted to live in. But they never ended well as her heart and conscious clashed.

She felt something wet on her futon. Hinamori was still in the yukata she wore to the festival earlier that evening, too drunk change and too lazy to tuck herself in bed properly half her body hung off the futon. Her head ached as she rose up too quickly. Hinamori looked around to find the cause of her wet futon but couldn't conclude to anything. She looked up at the ceiling and put out her hand to feel for water, but it wasn't raining for the roof to be leaking. She glanced down at her lap, at the wet stain on the yukata. Hinamori slapped herself on the cheek for being too old to be wetting the bed. _Must be the sake_, she assumed. She changed into her night yukata and ran out her room.

Still feeling the effects of the sake she headed towards Hitsugaya's room. Hinamori stood outside staring at his door. Her hand slowly lifted and touched the smooth surface of the wooden door. She closed her eyes and felt for his reiatsu. He was alive and sleeping. _Of course he would be, it was a dream._ Letting go she turned around and readied to leave when a loud hiccup came out. She cupped her hand over her mouth and tried to sneak away before she woke him up but the sound of a door sliding open stopped her in her tracks.

"What are you doing, Hinamori?" he asked as he leaned against the frame of the door.

She had been caught already so she might as well ask him, "Um, do you have an extra futon?"

"Why, what happened to yours? Don't tell me you-"

"It's being cleaned!" she cut him off before he could finish. He sighed, not wanting to aggravate her any further for she might still be drunk he headed inside to look for an extra futon. Hinamori stepped in his quarters, waiting by the entrance. As he walked to the storage closet he could hear her little hiccups from a distance.

He returned with futon in hand but she disappeared. Confused, he looked outside in all directions to catch a glimpse of her but didn't see anything.

-Hiccup-

It was coming from his room. He peaked inside his room, sure enough she was there laying in his bed tucked in and sleeping. Hitsugaya took a moment to preserve in his memories the scene of her sleeping delicately with the moonlight radiating through the window on to her body. He was amazed at how fast she feel asleep, he wasn't gone for more than five minutes. He placed the extra futon down beside her and laid down. He couldn't help but gaze at her sleeping face. He smiled at her cheeks, still flushed from the sake.

**You've got this new head filled up with smoke  
I've got my veins all tangled close  
To the jukebox bars you frequent  
The safest place to hide  
A long night spent with your most obvious weakness  
You start shaking at the thought you are everything I want  
'Cause you are everything I'm not **

Without warning, her eyes opened and looked back at his. He gulped, he got caught staring at her. She propped herself up on one elbow and gradually leaned closer to him. He too, rose up to meet her eyes.

**And we lay, we lay together just not  
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)  
We lay, we lay together just not  
Too close, too close **

**I just wanna break you down so badly  
Well I trip over everything you say  
I just wanna break you down so badly  
In the worst way**

She looked so seductive with her blushed cheeks, luscious rose lips and the loosely tied yukata hanging off her shoulder. "Hitsugaya-kun..." she spoke in an alluring voice that made chills run down his spine. "I think... I..."

**My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit  
It talks, it says, "You, oh, you are so cool."  
"Scissor shaped across the bed, you are red, violent red."  
You hollow out my hungry eyes  
You hollow out my hungry eyes **

**And we lay, we lay together just not  
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)  
We lay, we lay together just not  
Too close, too close **

He gulped as he anticipated what she was going to say. She captivated him with her beautiful hazel orbs that glisten from the moonlight. "I think.." she pulled in closer. _She's going to say it_, he held his breath, closing his eyes to ready himself.

**I just wanna break you down so badly  
Well I trip over everything you say  
I just wanna break you down so badly  
In the worst way **

"I drank too much." she passed out.

"EH?!" he slammed his head on the pillow. He paced down his breathing from the nervousness she caused him. He slapped a hand on his forehead, of course she wouldn't say what his heart wanted to hear. _Don't be stupid._ He scolded himself. _She's just a friend._

**I just wanna break you down so badly  
Well I trip over everything you say  
I just wanna break you down so badly  
In the worst way (worst way) **

Hitsugaya turned his head to look at her once more. His face furrowed when he saw her fidgeting in her sleep. Her face became struck with fright. _She must be having a nightmare._ Her hand laid angled up in the space between them, the fingers slightly twitched every now and then. Hitsugaya placed his hand in hers, embracing them together with a little pressure. The nightmare seemed to have stopped as she began to calm down.

**I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave  
No, you won't ever get too far from me  
You won't ever get too far from me  
I'll make damn sure that you can't ever leave**

Countless times, he couldn't do anything for her. He couldn't do anything for her when she found her taicho dead. He gave her his letter that drove her temporarily crazy. He couldn't do anything for her when she laid on the ground unconscious in the path of Ichimaru's zanpakuto. He watched as Matsumoto saved her life. He couldn't do anything to prevent harm to her even after locking her in the 10th division quarters. He found her body in a pool of her own blood hidden behind Aizen and Ichimaru.

He laid next to her, holding her hand. For the first time he felt he did something right. If his presence was all that she needed, he was happy. Her peaceful sleeping face was the last vision he saw as he closed his eyes to sleep. Even if that was all he could do, he was satisfied.

**  
No, you won't ever get too far from me  
You won't ever get too far from me  
You won't ever get too far from me (ever get too far)  
You won't ever get too far... **

Hinamori walked in the dark slowly, her breathing deepened, heart pounding. A low moan of her name from behind startled her to a stop. She turned around to the black smog that manifested itself an arm and it reached for her. She heaved a deep breath, "SHIRO-CHAN!" she closed her eyes while screaming with every ounce of air in her lungs. Hinamori opened her eyes to see the thing still in front of her. Abruptly, she felt something warm grab a hold of her hand. She turned to her side to see that he came after all. But this isn't good, he will only be overpowered by that thing and it's all her fault. She panicked.

She was ready to throw herself in the way to protect him but he slightly squeezed her hand. Hinamori looked into his eyes that were calm and confident. He gave her a smile in the corner of his mouth to let her know it was alright and they will overcome this together. With their zanpakuto ready, they rushed forward, hand in hand.

Hinamori opened her eyes, squinting at the bright morning sun rays shining through the window. She hadn't had a well rested night as last night in a while. Hinamori jerked up from the bed as the surroundings in the room weren't familiar, she realized she wasn't in her room. She turned to see Hitsugaya sleeping not too far from her. _That's right, I forgot I slept in his room last night. _As Hinamori got up from the bed, Hitsugaya stirred in his sleep. She quickly placed a barrier around herself to prevent her reiatsu from waking him up.

Hitsugaya rolled to his side, he opened his eyes. He got up, cursing himself for sleeping in when he had work to do. He remembered Hinamori and looked around for her. The futon she had slept in was gone and there was no trace of her reiatsu. Hitsugaya looked in the closet to find the futon nicely folded in the corner.

She walked through the 10th division, heading to the main gate. It was still quite early that morning but there were plenty of shinigami already up and about. The wondering shinigami's were gawking her as she walked by. She noticed and she checked herself. Although she was wearing her pink night yukata, she was decent. She was even covered up with a dark navy blue haori she grabbed from Hitsugaya's closet. Nothing seemed out of place and she wasn't exposed anywhere as she could see. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to head out the gate.

* * *

**Ugh! I had such a hard time on this one. My first draft came out too fluffy to my liking, and the second was too angsty. I was going to put up the second version and add the fluffy one at the end just for fun but then I hated to have two versions so I put them together and here you have it! I hope it turned out well. **

**And the insert song: Taking Back Sunday – Make Damn Sure (Acoustic-love this version)**

**Thank you for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

When she first joined Squad 5, she found an area in the training ground that others rarely used. Beyond the forest in division 5, at the end of the clearing, was a wide plain of nothing but grass that reached up to her thighs. During the spring it becomes a sea of beautiful, colorful flowers. In the middle of the plain the land beneath her feet escalated to a small hill. Sitting atop the little hill was a lone peach tree. It became her favorite spot to be alone and train. Hinamori stood in the barren plain near the solitary tree with her eyes closed and Tobiume unsheathed in her hands. She quietly listened to the wind gently howling in her ears.

_Focus, Hinamori. _Tobiume began to talk to her. _Feel the reiatsu around you. Concentrate on the tree. Everything in Soul Society is composed of pure reiatsu so you should be able to see the reiatsu of the tree in your mind, now focus on the leaves. _A gust of wind swirled by and a leaf of the peach tree broke off and whirled by Hinamori's face. One smooth swing of her zanpakuto she sliced the air. Hinamori opened her eyes and looked to the ground to find a leaf split perfectly in half.

_Good. This will help you dodge attacks as it will be easy for you to read your opponents movements. It makes up for your lack of strength. _Hinamori sighed. She wasn't weak, she just didn't have brute strength like some of her shinigami friends had. Still, it was a weakness none the less. Hinamori switched to a different training exercise. She began thrusting her zanpakuto in a slashing motion downwards.

_What are you doing? _

"I am training, Tobiume."

_Yes, but why that exercise? _

"Because, I don't want to have any weaknesses. I want, no, I will be stronger!" Hinamori continued to thrust Tobiume up and down. _You need to focus on the reiatsu training I just showed you!_

"No, I won't ignore my weak points and strengthen what I am already good at." she retaliated.

_But Hinamori!_

"I said no, Tobiume!" She began to strike Tobiume against the trunk of the peach tree in aggravation. She finally stopped when a hell butterfly flew in front of her. Hinamori held out her hand, letting the black butterfly land itself on the tip of her index finger. It sent it's message and flew off into the sky. Hinamori sheathed Tobiume and used shunpo to leave.

Hinamori arrived at Division 1. She was escorted to an empty meeting room to await for Yamamoto. She knelt down on her knees and sat on her feet. She fidgeted with her fingers, nervous of why Yamamoto summoned her. Just then, the door slide open and Yamamoto entered through. Hinamori stood up to bow.

It was noon when Hitsugaya returned to his office. He sat down at his desk and stared at the stack of paperwork that didn't move an inch since he left. He looked at Matsumoto on the couch. "You didn't do any of the paperwork did you?"

"Of course I did! My pile is off to the corner on your desk." Hitsugaya glanced at the one sheet of paper in the right corner that she called a pile. He sighed, it took her two hours that he was gone to finish one report. It took a moment to clear his mind about the meeting he had with Yamamoto earlier and just as he was about to start his work, a knock came from the door. "Come in." he answered.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" Hinamori cheerly walked up to his desk. "I came to return your kimono haori I borrowed when I spent the night." Hitsugaya choked on air when Hinamori nonchalantly said 'spent the night'. She placed his neatly folded and cleaned haori on his desk and Matsumoto shot up from the couch with a mischievous look on her face. "What was that, Hinamori? You spent the night with Taicho?"

"Nothing, Matsumoto." he growled at her, she pouted and sat back down.

"Oh, and Hitsugaya-kun, guess what? Yamamoto just assigned me to an important mission to the living world. I am to leave immediately. I will be in charge of a small team and we will be staying for a week, maybe longer."

"Really? Well, be careful." It was big news but Hitsugaya didn't seem at all excited for her. Hinamori continued talking, telling him how excited she was that finally they started to take her seriously as a fukutaicho. Ever since the incident of the recording in the meeting room of Division 1, she felt as if she didn't deserve the 2nd seat, that it was all Aizen's doing that she had gotten where she was. But if Yamamoto had faith in her abilities, then she would let go of all doubts she had in herself and complete the mission successfully. During the whole conversation Hitsugaya couldn't help but feel guilty. He was glad to hear she was looking forward to the big mission, but something he was hiding was nudging at his conscience.

"I'd better get going. See you when I get back!" she waved bye to him and Matsumoto with a smile and left.

"I'm surprised."

Hitsugaya glared at her.

"A big mission like that, and you didn't try to stop her?" Matsumoto flipped her hair back over her shoulders.

"She can take care of herself." He said coldly, not liking where she was going so he decided to end it by leaving. Hitsugaya left Matsumoto on the couch wondering what was wrong with her taicho.

It had been nearly three weeks since she and four shinigami from her division left on the mission to the living world. They ran into numerous hollows and occasionally a menos grande. But today, they came upon an arrancar, a rarity to all of them, except her. The team formed around the arrancer in the sky, waiting for their leader to give orders. A few of the men were shaking from fear. They had heard arrancars were furiously strong. Hinamori stood in front of the arrancar, unflinching.

"Damn you shinigami's." It spoke. "Wasn't enough that you killed Aizen-sama? But you have to hunt us down to extinction as well?"

Hinamori's lost her breath for a second as the thing spoke. "A-Aizen...is dead?"

"Yes, you stupid girl. You shinigami's killed him." it hissed.

"When? When did this happen?" Hinamori questioned the ugly hutched-back arrancar.

"Doesn't matter. Because you will die here!" it lunged forward towards Hinamori, aiming his blade at her.

Hinamori didn't move an inch. Her subordinates yelled for her to get out of the way, but still she did not move. She grabbed for her zanpakuto, "Snap, Tobiume!" The blade burned with pink flames as it was released to shikai. Anger built up from the arrancar's refusal to answer her and the flames grew bigger with every second. The arrancar swung his sword down at her but she easily blocked and pushed him back. Hinamori started to counter attack, concentrating her reiatsu to build up in her blade. With both hands she swung her sword horizontally. The arrancar tried to block with his own blade but the power of her strike broke his zanpakuto and instantly she sliced through his neck, decapitating him. It's body dissipated into the wind.

Her four subordinates silently stood in awe, she had defeated an arrancar within a few minutes as if it was nothing but a mere hollow. "You're amazing, Hinamori-fukutaicho!" one of them shouted to her.

"We were lucky. It was a weak one." she responded, still breathing heavily from the last attack that took a lot of her physical strength to do. Compared to the first arrancar Hinamori fought, this one was nothing. She didn't use the black flame technique that she had to do with the first arrancar. "Let's go. We're going back to Soul Society." she commanded.

"But we were ordered to stay until we were called back." one of them said as she motioned her hand and the gate to Soul Society appeared.

"I said, we are going back." she firmly told him, glancing over her shoulder. He shuddered at the mean stare she gave him. She was pissed off at the arrancar and look how he turned out. It was an unusual thing to see on the sweet girl. He noted to himself to never anger his fukutaicho. The four men followed behind Hinamori through the gate.

After arriving back in Soul Society for the first time in three weeks, she ordered her men to return to their division to relax as they had worked hard and deserved a break. She, however, headed towards Yamamoto's office. Hinamori ran, and kept running through the shinigami's that caught a glance at her and tried to congratulate her on her return. She ran pass through gate of Division 1 and through halls until she reached his office.

Hinamori didn't bother to knock as she abruptly entered without an invitation. Yamamoto sat at his desk staring at the girl. "Is it true?" she asked him. "Is Aizen dead?"

Yamamoto closed his eyes, it seemed he had anticipated her to come. "Yes. While you were gone, we invaded Hueco Mundo and eliminated the traitors. The war is over."

She was paralyzed, never to expect the rumor she heard to be true. More accurately, she did not want to believe it was true. But here it was, from the mouth of the head of Seireitei himself. "Why..." was all that she could manage to say.

"Why were you not informed?" he finished for her. She shook her head.

"No. Why was my mission conveniently at the same time as the invasion of Hueco Mundo?" she asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

A door slid open and Ukitake walked through, "Hinamori, any questions you have, please go see Hitsugaya-kun."

"What? Why?"

"It was his request for you to go on the mission." After hearing what he had just said she ran out the room.

"Why did you tell her?" Yamamoto questioned, stroking his whtie beard.

"If by chance she found out and came here first, he asked me direct her to him." his expression turn gloomy, seeing what was to come for Hitsugaya won't be pleasant.

Hitsugaya was in his office, looking out the window. _It's over. _He thought to himself, recalling the events of the war. Suddenly her reiatsu knocked him out of his day dreaming. He felt it grow stronger as she neared. The dreadful day had come, although he was glad to know she was alright. A loud slam of the door as it was rammed open caused the sleeping Matsumoto to wake and Hitsugaya turned to the door.

"Hitsugaya-kun." She heaved in between breaths. "Did you tell Yamamoto to send me off to a mission so I wouldn't be around to go to Hueco Mundo?" she cut to the point, wanting answers.

"Yes." That was all he could say as he looked in her confused eyes.

"I don't understand. Why? Why did you? You know how important this was to me."

"I didn't want you to go." he said calmly, he trained himself for this moment.

She glanced at his bandaged arm. "Because I'm weak? I would just get myself killed?" Hitsugaya didn't respond.

"Or did you think seeing Aizen would make me turn and want to be at his side?" She wildly guessed thinking that it was far to absurd that would be why. But her eyes widened in shock when Hitsugaya darted his eyes away from hers, looking elsewhere.

"You have that much faith in me?" silent tears fell from her eyes.

"Did you ever think that maybe I needed to see him?" He gazed up on her anguished face. "That maybe after seeing him one last time I could finally tell my heart to stop longing for his return?" she grabbed her kimono in front of her chest. "I know in my mind that I meant nothing to him and that I need to forget about him. But my heart...my heart won't give up. It refuses to believe that I dedicated decades of my life to such a man. It refuses to believe it was all a lie!"

Hitsugaya clenched his fists, her words stabbing at his heart. "I waited, for a long time I waited so I can face him one last time. To put an end to the tempest in my heart."

They stood silent for what felt like eons until Hinamori calmed down, wiping away her tears. "Who...who killed him?" she broke the silence.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. The ryoka that invaded Soul Society to save Kuchiki Rukia." he gazed in her eyes for some type of response.

She turned her back to him. "I'm glad it wasn't you." Hinamori glanced over her shoulder to look him in the eyes one last time before leaving his office.

If she had been angry with him, it would have been much easier for him to handle. But that last look of betrayal in her eyes carved into his mind, never will he be able to forget. Matsumoto sat up from the couch, he had forgotten she was still in the room.

"She went easy on you." she crossed her arms. Hitsugaya sighed, she was right, he deserved a slap in the face for what he did.

"Why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"I did what I had to do to protect her. That is enough." he walked out his office to his room.

Hinamori sat on the rooftop of her office, hugging her knees. She stared at the moonlit sky. Matsumoto landed beside her and sat down. Quietly they looked up at the stars, basking in the comfort of each others presence. "Is it wrong..." Hinamori softly spoke, "for me to hold on to all the good memories he gave me?"

Matsumoto smiled down to the girl. "No, its not. I believe no matter how bad someone's intentions are, the happy moments they shared were true." Matsumoto's mind lingered to her own childhood friend that left her alone. She was able to save him from being captured back to Soul Society and executed. He had let her save him by dying by her hands. There was no other way would he have let himself go.

Hinamori let out a long sigh. It was going to be a long night as her mind was restless. Sleep will not come peacefully tonight.

On top of a distant rooftop someone else was star gazing too. Hitsugaya put his hands behind his head and laid down on the shingles. A million thoughts ran through his head. Was there another way around it? If he had told her not to go in the first place, would she have listened? Most likely not. Maybe if he had confessed to her, would she have stayed?

He closed his eyes. All that doesn't matter anymore, what was done is done. She is safe. That was the bottom line. She could hate him for an eternity and it wouldn't matter. As long as he is able to protect her, he would bare the consequences. And continue he will.


	9. Chapter 9

Long ago, a little girl and a little boy met. Some may call it fate, some may call it destiny, you could even say it was pure luck. Whatever the cause, if there was one, once their eyes met their paths were intertwined forever.

In the first district of western Rukongai was a little pigtailed girl with hazel eyes that lived alone. From a distance she watched the other kids play together in the grassy field just beyond dirt roads of houses. She came by and watched them run around and laugh, enjoying each others company but she never joined. A child living in the Junrinan district of Rukongai without a family was frowned upon. She never knew why.

One day she worked up the courage to confront the other kids and ask them if she could join their games. They stared at the little girl covered with dirt on her face on clothes. As soon as she asked they all burst with laughter at the idiocy that she had nerves to ask at all. "What are you, stupid?" a fat boy shouted at her. "Like we would be caught hanging around you!" said the bratty girl beside him. The little girl blinked in awe, what was wrong with her? "Go away!" they shouted at her and ran off to play elsewhere. She hung her head down as she walked away disappointed. Still, she continued to come everyday around the same time and sit on a branch of a tree far enough from where the other kids usually played to not disturb them and just watched. Swinging her legs back on forth while she sat on the branch she sighed, what was wrong with her?

On the nearby street of houses lived a little boy with miraculous pure white hair. He lived in a small house with his Obaa-san. He had a family, so naturally he wouldn't be shunned by society and have many friends. But he didn't. He could only guess why others were intimidate by him and kept their distance. Maybe it was his abnormal hair color, or the coldness of his eyes. Or his apathetic attitude. Either way, he gave up on the idea of making friends, he was content with his life with Obaa-san, the only person that wasn't scared of him. It will always be just the two of them, he thought.

For some reason, on this particular day that he went to the market to buy some snacks, he decided to take the short cut home. Cutting through the back fields behind the buildings he came to the clearing of a grassy field occupied by a group of kids. He started to walk close beside the building as he neared to pass by to avoid being noticed by them. Something in a tree not too far off caught his attention. A squirrel? Do they have those in Soul Society? But it's too big to be a squirrel. He squinted his eyes to focus and to his surprise it was a girl.

His curiosity got the better of him and he crept a bit closer towards the tree, hiding himself behind a bush. He gazed at the girl sitting up on the tree branch. She was observing the kids across the field. Why was she alone watching them? Suddenly she leaped off the branch and landed on the ground with ease. He finally noticed why she was alone, from where he was he could clearly see the dirt on her face and her worn out clothes. She must not have a family, perhaps not even a place to live either. She dusted herself off and disappeared in the woods.

After that day, he started to take the short cut route every time he went to the market and every time the girl was there on that same branch. He wouldn't stay and gaze at her, just a glimpse of her as he walked by was enough to not be considered a stalker he decided. Once, his eyes were so glued to her while he walked when he caught glance of her smile that he walked straight into a wooden wheel barrow, he flipped over and landed inside. He heard the voices of the kids asking what the sudden noise was, he hid in the wheel barrow until their attention was focused else where and ran home. The boy sat on the rooftop of his house. He sighed, what was he doing? Why couldn't he resist taking the short way home. But hey, its not like he wanted to see her, its just faster to go that way.

One day while walking home after buying some food for Obaa-san and himself, he heard loud voices of the kids in the usual field they played in. It sounded as if they were yelling. Hopefully they were too distracted they wouldn't notice him passing by. He neared closer behind a house and peeked around the corner. "Hah! I can't believe you fell for it!" the fat boy pointed his finger to the pigtailed girl standing in front of them in the middle of the field. A skinner, taller boy pushed her so hard she tripped and fell on the ground, landing on her butt with a loud thud. Then, they surrounded the girl and started to kick the dirt on her. She coughed when she inhaled some in her mouth and nose. The boy from behind the building dropped his bag and sprinted.

One of the girls stop kicking the dirt when she saw something coming towards the direction. "What is that?" she pointed at the white fuzz but before any of them comprehend what she just said over all the commotion, the white fuzz rammed his shoulder on one of the bullies side and knocked him down. " Don't touch her!" The pigtailed girl watched in awe as the boy that came from no where stood in front of her with his arms stretched out, shielding her from any further harm.

"You little punk!" the fat boy charged at him, throwing his fist straight at his head. The white haired boy dodged it with ease as he was much faster than his fat foe. He then countered with a punch of his own landing squarely in the boys nose. The fat boy landed on his butt while one hand cupped his now bleeding nose. They all gasp in shock at how strong he was. He continued to stand over the pigtailed girl, daring them with his teal orbs to come at him again. "Let's go guys!" one of them said and they all ran off.

"You shouldn't use your fists to hurt others."

The white haired boy turned around and his eyes met with hers and time seemed to have stood still. Her hazel eyes was filled with purity, making them much more beautiful up close. "You should stay away from them." he broke the silence. Much to his surprise, she blinked and gave him an innocent smile. He had expected her to run away like every other kid he encountered. She got up and dusted herself off. He gulped silently as his eyes came up to her chin, she was half a head taller—much more than he had estimated.

"I'm Hinamori Momo." a sweet voice came from the little girls mouth through her big smile. "It's nice to meet you." She held her hands behind her back and slightly leaned forward, waiting for him to give his name.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro." He turned and headed back to where he dropped his bag of grocery.

"Where are you going?"

"Home." he said without turning around.

Momo cupped one hand on the side of her mouth to echo her voice to reach the departing boy, "Ne! If you want to come play with me sometime, I'll be here!" He glanced over his shoulder at the girl waving and continued to head home.

Little Momo continued to come to her usual tree everyday hoping to meet with the only person that treated her with courtesy. A week went by and still no sign of the boy. She sat at the trunk of the tree, fidgeting with some flowers she picked, trying to knot them together to make a necklace. Her eyebrows furred as her little fingers had a hard time tying the stems.

"You shouldn't be playing around here. Those punks might come back." the familiar voice startled Hinamori and she dropped her flowers.

"Shiro-chan!" she got up with much excitement.

"Shiro-chan? What the—don't call me that!" _What's with this girl? It's not like we're friends. And 'Shiro-chan'? No way._

"Anyway, it's not safe to hang around here." he told her once more but she tilted her head at an angle, wondering why not. "Forget it." he sighed. "Why don't you play at home."_ Crap_. He forgot she probably doesn't have one. "I'm sorry...do you have..one?" he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

Momo nodded her head. "You want to see? Come on!" She picked up her small bouquet of flowers by the tree and before he could object she grabbed his hand and dragged him along after her.

They paced along a beaten path not too long until she stopped. "Here it is!" she pointed out. Toushiro was at a lost of words at the building before them. Her home was a worn-down abandoned shack. It was decent enough to have a not-so-sturdy-looking porch but there were holes everywhere. Momo picked out two rocks on the ground and went up to the porch and placed her little bouquet of flowers in between the rocks to erect them up. She placed her hand made 'vase'​ by the entrance of the door. He smiled. It is not the best house compared to others, but it was something.

"I'd better get going. I have to get these to Obaa-san." Toushiro pointed out his bag of grocery he almost forgot he was holding.

"Ja ne! Shiro-chan!" sitting on the porch she waved to him. He shivered at the nickname.

"It's Hitsugaya Toushiro!" he yelled over his shoulder.

A few days later, little Toushiro sat on his rooftop watching the sunset.

"Oh my." Obaa-san stared at something off in the distance. "Must be a fire, hope no one gets hurt."

Toushiro looked over and saw huge clouds of smoke off the horizon. That's where her house was. He jumped off the roof and ran towards the fire. "I'll be back, Obaa-san!"

Momo watched at the only home she knew scorch in flames. Next to her was the group of kids from before. "This is what you get for messing with us!" the fat boy yelled.

"Momo!" his voiced called to her. He came up to them. "You guys again." he clenched his fists.

"Get him!" The boys grabbed him by the collar and one of them tripped him. While he was on the ground they started to kick him.

"Stop!" Momo screamed at them. And without surprise, they didn't stop beating up the little boy. She squeezed through two boys and fell on Toushiro, covering up his body with hers. She winced in pain and tried her best not to cry. Toushiro tried to get out from beneath but she held him tight, not letting him out. After the boys felt like the two learned their lesson, they left.

Momo slowly and painfully lifted her sore body off Toushiro. "Are you alright, Shiro-chan?"

"Baka! You shouldn't have gotten in the way!" he yelled at her.

"But you were getting hurt."

"I can take care of myself." he wiped the blood from his mouth. "This is what I get for butting in other peoples business." He looked at her injuries, he felt guilty. If he hadn't interfered, those kids wouldn't have burnt her house down in revenge or beat on her. "Just leave me alone from now on. I was fine when I was alone."

"Don't say that...it's too sad." she got up and caught Toushiro in a tight hug. "Nobody wants to be alone." she caressed him tighter. "I will be with you, always."

Toushiro was speechless in her arms. "Momo..." he whispered.

She smiled. Her house was still on flames and she had just gotten pulverized by some bullies and yet here she was with not a care in the world except for the boy she barely knew.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To my house. You can spend the night."

The two headed off, leaving the charred house behind.

"How did they find found out where you lived?"

"The bigger boy wanted to apologize and he asked to see where I lived so they can come by and play."

"And you didn't see anything wrong with that?" he looked at her with surprise at how kind she was, she even avoided calling the fat boy _fat._

"No. Why?"

He sighed, "Nothing." She was too innocent for her own good.

They arrived at Toushiro's house and cleaned themselves up. In the time he was gone Obaa-san had just finished setting up dinner on the table and went back to the kitchen to grab an extra bowl.

"Momo-chan, why don't you live with us?" Obaa-san asked the pigtailed girl.

The three of them fell silent. Toushiro glanced from the corner of his eyes waiting for her answer. She sat with the chopsticks still in her mouth. Gently, she placed her bowl down and laid the chopsticks on top. Momo bowed her head, "Arigato, but I was taught to never take charity. I have two—" she placed a finger on her lip, trying to remember what to say. "I have two arms and two legs, I can do things on my own."

Toushiro and Obaa-san were shocked that she actually rejected her offer. "Well then..." Obaa-san thought for a moment. "How about I charge you. In return for letting you live with us, you must help with chores."

Toushiro smiled at how clever Obaa-san was.

"But most importantly, you must keep Toushiro-kun company." she smiled. Toushiro looked at her with much embarrassment, "Obaa-san!"

Momo jumped and hugged Toushiro around his neck, "Hai!!"

"Get off me!"

Obaa-san chuckled. It was the beginning of their life together. Toushiro glanced at the only two people that he would ever need in his life sitting on either sides of the table. It will always be just the three of them, he thought.

It was a story long ago forgotten. The little girl grew up and became a shinigami, the little boy followed soon after and the old lady passed on.

Hinamori sat at her desk, daydreaming again. She had not spoken to Hitsugaya since the confrontation in his office that night. She was heartbroken in more ways than one. Her former taicho was officially dead and she was betrayed by her best friend. She knew it was to protect her, but she couldn't get over the fact that he ruined her last chance of seeing Aizen one last time. Her hopes of closure were crushed.

Eventually, she wanted to apologize to him but she couldn't work up the nerves, she was afraid he was angry with her for getting angry in the first place. She shouldn't have said those things. Hinamori wanted to apologize but never did. Weeks passed, months, and eventually years.

Four years had past and things with Hinamori hadn't gotten any better. Hitsugaya waited in Yamamoto's office as he briefed him on his next mission. Yamamoto handed him the sheet of paper with the mission details on it.

"Your mission, Hitsugaya-taicho, is to retrieve the sacred 'King's Seal' that was stolen while being transported."

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**My version of the movie will have Hinamori! Bitches! **

**I am still undecided if this will be a happily ever after ending or not. I guess you will have to wait and see!**

**Thank you for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**My apologies but I have to revise the last line of the previous chapter. I had to change it to fit to my plot. I know, I know, I shoulda had it planned out better than just in my head. So the King's Seal isn't stolen yet and Hitsugaya's mission is to escort/protect it. **

**And sorry I didn't mean to imply that I've seen the movie already. So I can't spoil to those of you who wanted to know. The only thing I kept true to the movie is Hitsugaya leaving and his execution and whatever I got from the previews. So yea, it won't be like the movie. Soz.  
**

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"Your mission, Hitsugaya-taicho, is to escort and ensure the protection of the sacred 'King's Seal' that is to be transported today."

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Hitsugaya stared at the piece of paper on his desk. _The King's Seal._ He had an eerie feeling of something foreboding was to come. He thought about Hinamori. Even though she may still hold a grudge, he felt the need to see her before he left. 

"My apologies, Taicho. Hinamori-fukutaicho is out on her afternoon lunch break. "Hinamori's 3rd seat officer told him. Hitsugaya headed towards the cafeteria. He opened the door and scanned the enormous lunchroom for her. With Hinamori no where to be found, he walked out heading to her office. He took his time as he was sure she would be there and thought about how to approach her as there relationship had been strained over the past years.

He spotted her sitting on a bench with Kira. Hitsugaya was about to advance towards them when suddenly Kira screamed, 'I LIKE YOU'. Those words completely paralyzed him, traveling in this ears and down to his feet to pinned them to the floor. He knew Kira had something for her but never in a million years would he have guessed he would confess to her. He regain his posture and hid himself behind a corner of a building even though there backs were to him. Concealing his reiatsu, he silently listened but from his distance nothing could be heard, too bad they weren't yelling out loud. He decided to leave them be but not before glancing over his shoulder for one last look. He regretted doing so as he saw Hinamori smiling to Kira.

Hinamori paced her way to the Seireitei cafeteria on her afternoon break. On the way she ran into Kira that then joined her for lunch. The two sat at the table conversing in between bites of food. They remained in the lunchroom well after their food was gone, talking idly for some time.

Hinamori looked at the clock hanging on the wall, "Ah, I'd better get back to work." she got up and pushed her chair in. Kira offered her to walk her back. Together they strolled, making their way back to her office.

"Ne, Hinamori-kun." he called her name and stopped walking.

"Yes, Kira-kun?" she looked up at her very tall friend. He gestured for them to have a seat on a nearby bench overlooking the 5th division garden.

He awkwardly sat down and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Um, I don't know how to say this, but..here..goes.." his palms became sweaty and he wiped them nervously on his hakama. "I-I...l-like.." he couldn't help but stutter his words and then he squinted his eyes close and clenched his hands into fists to muster up more courage to finish his confession. "I LIKE YOU!"

The sudden yell made Hinamori jump from her seat with wide eyes. Kira peeked an eye open to watch her reaction. She smiled to him and then turned her eyes elsewhere to contemplate a proper response. His heart sank for he knew what that meant.

"I'm sorry. Forget I said anything..please." he cupped a hand over his eyes. "I must look like a fool. I'm never listening to you again, Abarai-kun!" he muttered to himself.

"I'm so envious." He looked at her with a puzzled look on his face. "To be able to honestly profess what's in your heart." Her head tilted down, looking at her fingers. "I really am." She thought about herself, incapable of saying two simple words to that certain someone. The more time passed by the more difficult those two words became to say. And she had let it drag on for four years.

"I-It's no big deal. Look what happened, I got rejected." he chuckled nervously trying his best to comfort her. "Anyway, please disregard what I said."

She stood up, "I won't forget it. It's your gift to me." She smiled over her shoulder at her friend, "Arigato!" He blinked a few times, unsure of what she meant.

The koi fishes pecked at the tiny niblets of fish food she tossed in the water. Hinamori sat watching them splash around in the pond just behind her office. She thought about Kira. If he, being not the most courageous person in her opinion, was able to do something as bold as a confession then she at least try to apologize, right? She shook her head. _No, he betrayed me...Didn't he?_

_**Did he?**_

_Tobiume? I-I don't know..anymore..._

_**In your inner world...this storm is never ending. It is unbearable.**_

She watched the little pebble of fish food fall into the water, it's ripple grew larger and larger to engulf the ponds surface into waves. Something so small can swell so huge in seconds. She can't let this continue.

Her inner world was a raging storm, like endless water to a plant, it refuses to let her grow and eventually she will drown in her own sorrows.

_I'm sorry. I will put it at an end today. I promise._

Hitsugaya stood at bottom of the porch. He stepped up to the entrance and peered inside from where he stood. It was still empty. He walked around the side of the house and to the backyard. The garden that use to hold beautiful flowers the owners nursed was now barren. He continued to the end of the yard that held a large tree. He knelt down beneath the tree and placed a single tulip on a stone grave marker, her favorite flower. He stayed for a while until a hell butterfly found it's way to him and he place out his palm for the creature to land. _It's time. _He raised up and swept a hand gently across the rough surface of the stone. "Sayonara, Obaa-san."

Every now and then the sound of her footsteps skipped a beat as she used shunpo while running. _'I'm sorry. Hitsugaya-taicho and Matsumoto-fukutaicho just left on his mission.'_ The shinigami told her. The street leading to the cliff of the Senkai Gate was filled with busy shinigami's passing through, she leaped and continued running on the rooftop. _If I hurry, I might catch him. _ Hinamori could see the top of the hill as she neared closer. She ran up the steps, panting heavily. "Hitsugaya-kun!" she yelled his name right when she reached the top. She looked around but no one was there. Silence filled the air around her as she stood alone, staring at the gate. She sighed in dismay, maybe it wasn't meant to be. Curse the chains of fate that gave her this day to find her resolve. Either way, she had made a promise to let go, with or without him.

It just easier to not think about it. To not think about it and leave it in the back of his head and days will pass by since he last thought of her. He was on an important mission and now is not the time to absent-minded. He watched from the air as the huge cloud paraded through the sky above him. The artificial cloud held an array of royal servants escorting the sacred Kings Seal. Some of them where playing ceremonious music and dancing.

"Matsumoto." She nodded and checked up with the surrounding surveillance groups stationed on the ground. Matsumoto returned by his side and informed them that everything was quiet. Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were in a middle of a small conversation when something caught his attention. Before he could grasp what it was a loud boom exploded from the large cloud.

_Shit!_ Something hit the large transporting crate containing the sacred seal, blasting a huge hole on the roof and igniting it on fire. Matsumoto and Hitsugaya quickly headed towards the cloud. A ball of fire flew around started to attack the people. He grabbed his zanpakuto and blocked the fireball. Behind the flames a girl with short red hair and a piece of hollow mask emerged with her blade against his.

"Who are you." He demanded. Her blade started to freeze and ice built up as it touched Hyorinmaru. Realizing his powers she back flipped and retreated away, jumping on the flamed transporter. He chased her up on the roof and scanned inside the large hole. Suddenly, he felt something pierce his stomach. The tip of the blade withdrew and out from the hole came a man in a tan cloak with a hollow-like mask. There was something familiar about him. Luckily, his wound didn't render him immobile as the stranger and Hitsugaya engaged in battle.

"Taicho!" Matsumoto yelled as she watched them from below. The stranger retreated and disappeared behind the transporter, out of her view. "Taicho!" Once again she yelled to him but he didn't move from the roof as he glanced over his shoulder down to Matsumoto. He needed to follow that man, his eyes told her. He jumped off the other side of the transporter and vanished. She gasped in shock, not once has he ever left after an enemy alone like that. Usually, she would go with him but something in his eyes was strange and told her she can not follow.

"That is all?" Yamamoto's voice boomed throughout the taicho meeting chamber. The two rows of taicho's stared at the blonde fukutaicho. "Yes. He followed after the thief and hasn't returned since."

The old man stroked his beard in contemplation. "The meeting is adjourned." Matsumoto bowed and left the room.

Twenty minutes later, the rest of the taicho's left. Matsumoto was waiting outside the door for one of the taicho's. One by one they left until he finally came out. She approached him uneasily. "Ukitake-taicho."

"Don't worry. Yamamoto is going to send out a rescue team." He patted her on the shoulder. Matsumoto couldn't say much in the state of mind she was in so she gave him a small smile of gratitude. The feeling of relief didn't last long as she thought about having to tell Hinamori.

Slowly she walked towards the 5th division office. Before knocking on the door she took a deep breath and readied herself to be the bearer of dreadful news. She knocked. "Come on." her voice seeped through the door. "Matsumoto-san! Welcome back!" the cheerfulness of her voice hit her ears and filled her with guilt that she will take away her happy aura.

"Listen, Hinamori. About Taicho..."

"If you're worried about me and him, it's alright. I've let it go. I've moved on. Besides, I'm sure he already has for a long time." She neatly stacked a pile of paper in the corner of the desk, pretending to have no emotion on the matter anymore.

"He's missing." Matsumoto cut straight to the point before she misunderstood any further. Hinamori froze at her desk, her hands holding the paper in mid-air and didn't blink while Matsumoto continued.

"He's missing and they've sent a rescue team in search for him." She finally blinked and set the papers down. "I thought you should know."

"Sou ka... Arigato.. Matsumoto-san." She spoke slowly, her brain still trying to grasp the situation.

"Don't worry. Taicho will be fine!" she smiled awkwardly to her.

"Yeah. You're right, he is a taicho after all! Ha..ha..ha..." Hinamori stiffly giggled. It was a weird aura in the room as they lied to each other for comfort.

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**Thank you for reading and to the reviewers! I know this chapter wasn't all that great but it's suppose to show how the two always miss each other, never are they at the right time and place.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I was waiting for next week to update but I was feeling generous so here's another chapter! **

* * *

It had been two days since the disappearance of Hitsugaya. Kira and Hisagi were in charge of the rescue team. Things didn't look good as they had no clue about his whereabouts. 

"Hisagi-fukutaicho." A voice from the ear transmitter Hisagi was wearing called his name while he was in the wooded area of the incident. Kira watch him converse, hoping to have gained some information. Hisagi turned to Kira after the transmission was over. "Kira. It looks like Kurosaki Ichigo from the human world found Hitsugaya-taicho." Kira's eyes widened and smiled in relief he was found. "But..." the smile faded. "Apparently, they were attacked by the same enemy that stole the Kings Seal and he lost him."

"Then what now?"

"We are to search for him in the living world, in the city of Karakura where he was found. It will be just the two of us to avoid unnecessary influence to the human world." Hisagi and Kira used shunpo to head to the Senkai Gate.

They reached the other side, stepping out of the gate and floated in the air just outside Ichigo's house where he was last seen. "The battle was not too long ago, the trail of reiatsu still lingers around here, barely." Hisagi picked up the familiar reiatsu of Hitsugaya and pointed to the wooded mountain in the far off distance. Kira nodded and followed Hisagi to the forest.

They flew across the small town street after street until they reached the forest. Both of them flew up into the woods until the trail of reiatsu faded out. The two landed on the forest ground. "The reiatsu ends here. Let's search around." Kira suggested and they hiked the trail up the mountain.

"Look up ahead." Hisagi pointed to the top of the cliff to a small shrine. The two looked at each other and nodded, there was a possibility he was up there. Kira and Hisagi quickly ran up the trail. They stopped when they saw what they expected yet at the same time not. There he stood in front of the old shrine, he turned around at looked them in the eyes.

"Hitsugaya-taicho!" they yelled in unison, relieved to see him alive but worried why hadn't he returned to Soul Society if he was well.

"Leave." One simple word yet it perplexed them brutally. His aura daunted over them. Again, he told them to leave using his frightening eyes.

"Why? We were sent to retrieve you. And why didn't you return to Soul Society?" Hisagi raised his voice, confused that Hitsugaya was ordering them to leave him.

"None of your business. I won't tell you again. Leave." He said coldly with an emotionless face.

Something was amiss. Why would Hitsugaya-taicho, who always abide by the rules, refuse orders to return to Soul Society? As much as he would like to know and help if possible, Hisagi knew he wouldn't tell them. He looked at Kira and gave him a nod.

"We have to bring you back, it's our orders." Hisagi tried to divert Hitsugaya's attention away from Kira. "Why won't you-" Before he could finish his sentence Hitsugaya had already noticed Kira and unsheathed his zanpakuto and lunged for him. He took one quick swing of his sword in a downward motion that was incredibly close to the side of his face and sliced off a few strands of his blond hair. Kira was pale-faced from fright, a small cracking sound came from the side of his head. A frozen ear transmitter hidden behind his long bangs fell on the ground and shattered under the foot of Hitsugaya.

"Kira!" Hisagi yelled to his paralyzed friend to snap him back to reality.

"Yamamoto ordered his retrieval with f-force, if n-necessary. ." he stuttered, still unblinking.

"I think it's necessary alright." Hisagi unsheathed his zanpakuto and readied his stance for a battle.

Hitsugaya and Hisagi swung at each other, blades clashing. "Kira! Hurry up!" Hisagi yelled to him, he won't be able to handle Hitsugaya alone. Lucky for him Hitsugaya hadn't yet released his shikai, he needed Kira's backup before it was over.

"I can't go against my orders, Taicho." He took a breath, "Omote Wo Agero, Wabisuke!"

Hitsuguya jumped back and dodged Kira's first attack. Kira swung again and this time he blocked with Hyourinmaru. Hitsugaya clashed his blade against Kira's, and each time Kira skidded back from the brute power the shorter shinigami had with each blow.

"Hadou #33—Soukatsui!" Hisagi chanted off to the left of Hitsugaya while he was preoccupied with Kira.

"Souten Ni Zase, Hyourinmaru!" he swung his sword left to right to create a wall of ice. "Ugh!" His ice wall was incomplete as his blade became too heavy to complete the swing and the blue fireball shot through his wall and scrapped his shoulder. "What the-!" He held his zanpakuto that crushed the ground beneath his feet.

"That's right, this is the first time you've seen my shikai." Kira boasted. "It doubles the weight of any object the blade hits..." Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "..exponentially."

"Yosh!" Hisagi yelled. Now was their chance with him unable to use his zanpakuto.

The two shinigami rushed towards him while he was still holding on to his zanpakuto that was embedded in the dirt. "Don't get cocky!" Hitsugaya grabbed his zanpakuto with both hands, "AHHG!" He scrapped the ground making a line in front of him and ice flowed out of Hyourinmaru, it grew and streamed to Kira and Hisagi and froze them from their feet to their arms, stopping them dead in their tracks. Kira was out of words, he couldn't believe he had the strength to still move his zanpakuto after so many hits with his Wabisuke. But then, that was a taicho for you.

Kira's hand that wielded Wabisuke was left untouched from the ice but the rest of his arm was stuck. "Seal it." Hitsugaya threatened him. Defeated, he sealed his zanpakuto back from it's shikai form and Hitsugaya sheathed his blade behind his back.

They stared at him as he turned to leave. Hisagi grunted as he tried to wiggle his way free from the ice.

"Don't worry, it will thaw out." he vanished into the woods.

It would be another six years until they heard of him again.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro was spotted here in Soul Society. I order his immediate capture, _if_ possible, alive." Yamamoto's raspy old voice echoed throughout the taicho meeting chamber. The silence of shock could be seen in the faces of the taicho's that weren't emotionless. With all the evidence that raised the doubt of his loyalty, they saw it coming. The night before, Kyouraku Shunsui was attacked by an unidentified intruder. He is still in the infirmary, unable to confirm if it was Hitsugaya or not. But the evidence of Hyourinmaru was left behind.

Ukitake knocked on the door of Squad 10's office. No answer. He slid open the door. No one inside. He glanced to the adjacent room, the door was slightly ajar. He gently slid it open. She sat at the table, her eyes glued to the window. Matsumoto still had not noticed his appearance. 'COUGH' he faked a cough though one might think it was real at how terrible it sounded. She jumped around and greeted him. He informed her of the news and let her be. Nothing he could say or do would comfort her. Matsumoto downed another bottle of sake after he left.

Once again, she thought of how to tell Hinamori and once again she had to be the bearer of dreadful news. Matsumoto dragged herself to Squad 5. She reached the front door of Hinamori's office, she raised her hand up to knock but stopped when she felt her reiatsu fluctuating from the next building.

"Come in." A shaky soft voice came through the door.

Matsumoto walked in and saw Hinamori sitting still, her eyes void as if in a trance. Her heart ached for the poor girl had already gotten the news before she was able to tell her. "Hinamori.."

"I'm fine." She still hadn't looked at her, she sat just staring at nothing.

"What are you going to do?"

"It has nothing to do with me." She coldly responded.

Matsumoto's widened, "We should go find him before they do!"

"What he does is his choice. It has nothing to do with me." Matsumoto flared in anger, she still hadn't looked at her at all. What happened to Hinamori? How can she be so cold? Especially on a subject as sensitive as this.

"How can you say that? Don't you care about him at all? After all that he's done for you!" Matsumoto scolded the numb girl.

As Matsumoto rambled on about what a saint Hitsugaya had been to her, something inside Hinamori sparked. Something about Matsumoto praising him struck her the wrong way. She thought about the times Hitsugaya would tease and compare her to the well endowed woman, Matsumoto. Maybe it was his type, she was tall, blonde and voluminous in all the right places.

A feeling of jealously she didn't know she had towards Hitsugaya and his fukutaicho caused her to unconsciously scream, "If you love him so much, you bring him back!"

A loud smack echoed off the walls of the room. Hinamori's head was angled to the side and one side of her cheek was red.

Matsumoto calmly set her arm back down to her side, "Open your eyes." Her tone told her she implied wrong and needed to see the big picture, his life is in danger.

She let out a sigh, " Will you not come with me?"

There was no use talking to the girl with deaf ears. Matsumoto turned her back to leave when suddenly Hinamori's voice caught her feet.

"Why? He hates me."

"Who is the most important person to you? That should be enough of a reason." Matsumoto left her alone in the room.

Hinamori sat on her legs, staring at the floor. Thousands of thoughts ran through her mind, and just as many emotions overwhelmed her heart.

Since the day of Aizen's faked death, Hinamori had been on an emotional wreak. She was heartbroken when she found his dead body pierced to the wall. She was in rage when Ichimaru's smiling face was the first thing she saw after his dead body. She was confused after reading Aizen's letter to her and was torn between revenge and friendship. She was in ecstasy when he stood in front of her, alive and well. She was mortified when his zanpakuto skewered through her chest and awoke from the coma with denial. She was depressed and ready to die when she hung on the wall after being impaled by Ichimaru. She was horrified when she heard the recording of her idol speaking that he should have diced her to pieces. She was hurt when Hitsugaya purposely had her sent away so she couldn't see Aizen, and agonized over his death.

But what hit the nail that cracked her crippled heart was that day 10 years ago. Kira had confessed to her and she was given helping hand to help her confront her own problem. She had set her hopes high that the guilt, hurt, and denial she was living in for four years would all be over by the end of the day. As fate would have it, it was the same day Hitsugaya left for his mission and never return. She never got to say her apology, she never got to mend their withering friendship. She had to let it go, as she promised she would. Her hopes that she had set so high were only meant to slip through her fingers to be shattered against the beaten path beneath her feet that fate railed her to.

Matsumoto's last words to her resonated through her head. He was her most important person, she couldn't deny it. Hinamori got up on her feet and wiped away any stray tears that might have fallen unnoticed. As always, Matsumoto, the voice of reason, was right. He might hate her, or maybe not, but her feelings didn't matter, nothing did. All that did matter was that Hitsugaya was alive and remained alive.

-x-x-

* * *

**Oh the suspense! -teases-**

**Thank you for reading and to my reviewers! Special thanks to fastXattack! **


	12. Chapter 12

The sun was ready to set as Matsumoto waited at the west entrance of the Seireitei for Jidanbo, the West Gate Keeper, to open the enormous gate. She had to search for Hitsugaya outside the Seireitei but didn't know where to start. She walked out beneath the gate Jidanbo lifted and thanked him. It had been years since she last stepped foot in the west district of Rukongai. She then remembered Hitsugaya and Hinamori came from the first district, Junrinan. She smiled, she must be lucky today because she would surely find him before anyone else if he was at his old home, no one else but the three knew where it was located. Matsumoto quickly used shunpo across the rooftops, she couldn't waste time running.

She swiftly landed in front of the home. She took a step up on the porch. It was dark inside, no surprise. Matsumoto continued towards the entrance until a small rustle from behind the house stopped her. Slowly and as quiet as she could her feet slid across the porch to the side of the house, then the dead garden. She held her breath to peer beyond the wall of the house to the yard, her eyes widened as she saw him standing over a grave. She finally found him after years of waiting.

Someone grabbed and pulled on her sleeve and Matsumoto almost jumped out of her skin. _Shit._ Was she followed by someone knowing she might know where Hitsugaya was? She led them straight to him! She looked at the hand that held her sleeve and trailed up the arm and then to their face. She let out a heavy sigh in relief. "Hinamori-chan! Don't sneak up on me! My boobs almost jumped out!"

"Sorry. I-Is...is he here?" she asked, too scared to look herself.

"Come out." a deep voice demanded. A voice she had missed so dearly. Hinamori stepped passed Matsumoto while her friend pushed her forward and out into the open.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. She was a vision his eyes longed to see. "Hina..mori.." was all he could say.

"Hitsugaya-kun, you look well.." she fidgeted with her fingers nervously.

**I am finding out  
That maybe I was wrong **

"You too."

**That I've fallen down  
And I can't do this alone **

She closed her eyes, _Say it, just say it! _"Will you come back? We can sort things out to prove your innocence!" she pleaded, stepping a few steps towards him.

**Stay with me  
This is what I need, please **

"I can't."

She looked at the ground, "I'm sorry. I have no right to ask you to come back, not after what I did." Tears began to fall from her eyes, is she worthless after all?

**Sing us a song  
And we'll sing it back to you **

He looked at her while she wiped her tears, "It's not you. There's something from my past I have to deal with."

**We could sing our own  
But what would it be without you? **

He wasn't mad at her? She took another step forward while he stood still, "Then, I'll go with you! I can help." _Please.._she prayed, let there be something she could do, she can't stand back and watch things spiral out of control more than they already had.

**I am nothing now  
And it's been so long  
Since I've heard a sound **

Hitsugaya turned to the side, away from her. "It's something I have to do on my own."

"I won't let you." Hinamori clenched her fists. "I'm sorry I turned my back on you...but..I won't leave you again!"

**A sound of my only hope  
This time, I will be listening **

In his heart he was happy to hear her words, happy she wanted to be by his side. But he knew he can't let her get tangled up the web he created. Six years he waited for this tribulation to end to see her bright beautiful eyes, her cute smile, hear her angelic voice speak.

Here he was, with her like he wanted, but the time isn't right, he wasn't done fighting. He had to leave her. But this might be it, his only chance. Who knows when fate will be so generous to him again. He was grateful he could see her, perhaps for the last time.

She stared at him with his body turned to the side, not looking at her. She waited from to say something, anything. He closed his eyes and in a blink he was gone and in that instant her heart sank.

She gasped in surprise when a split second later reappeared from the other side of the yard to inches away from her. She was lost in his teal eyes, she never noticed how beautiful they were until now. It had been 10 years since she was in the same room as him yet alone this close, he had grown as tall as her. For the first time he was gazing in her hazel orbs equally leveled, just the way it was meant to be.

He leaned in to the side of her face to whisper in her ears. Her heart beated rapidly, she could feel the heat of his cheek onto hers. Their bodies were close enough for her to lift her arms to embrace him but they stayed by her side as she felt unworthy of his touch. He spoke words to her that made her want to break down and cry if her legs could move.

"You never left me. You are always with me." His gestured a hand over his chest where he had always kept her, his heart.

**This heart, it beats  
Beats for only you **

He never hated her for what she did, for yelling at him, making him feel guilty of what she thought were selfish actions. Yes, she was unworthy of him. A saint that belonged to heavens, not to be tainted by her. Her guilt ridden hands shook uncontrollably.

Hitsugaya slowly moved his head back to look her in the eyes once more. She was mesmerized as he peered into her soul, stripping out all her doubts and a gentle brush of his hand caressing her cheek told her she was the one he chose to fall from heaven for.

**This heart, it beats  
Beats for only you **

While she was still in a haze he closed his eyes and kissed her luscious lips that he desired since he met her. She finally closed her eyes when she realized what was happening and pushed out the tears she held in. He wrapped his other arm around her waist to pull her closer against him, deepening the euphoria that ran through their bodies.

They stood in what they wished was forever, in the place where it all started. Locked in the kiss of a million lifetimes, the embracing silhouette of the couple was drawn by the brilliant dusking sun.

The unexpected sensation of it all drove her knees weak. Her first kiss, blissfully sweeter than she had imagined and yet...full of sorrow. Sweet sorrow. She cried even more when it came to her that her first kiss...was a goodbye kiss.

With the last rays of the sun tucked underneath the horizon, Hitsugaya broke their lips apart and before she could open her eyes he disappeared so she would not have a chance to ask him to stay, for he could not.

Her eyes where still shut when a gentle breeze of wind touched her face and she knew he was gone. Her hand clasped her mouth to hold in her cries when she heard a little hum in the wind saying, "I love you."

**This heart, it beats,  
Beats for only you  
My heart is yours **

Hinamori collapsed to her kness, heaving heavily from her crying. Matsumoto emerged from the shadows, walking up to the girl on the ground. She wanted to let Hinamori cry her heart out, to let the tears fall until they ran dry, but now wasn't the time. Something was happening in the Seireitei and they needed to leave. The alarm was heard coming from the Seireitei. Intruders? That must be why Hitsugaya returned. "Hinamori." She touched her shoulder.

Hinamori forced herself to stop crying and wiped away the last of them off her redden cheeks. She heaved in deep breaths, trying to sooth her breathing back to a normal beat. Her legs rose and she dusted herself off and straightened her kimono. She cough to clear her throat, "Ready." They both leaped in the air onto the rooftops and shunpo back to the Seireitei.

The two landed swiftly in front of Jidanbo. "What's going on?" Matsumoto asked him.

"I don't know. If there are intruders, they didn't come through here." They nodded and entered the gate he opened.

The rooftops being the faster way around rather than the maze of streets, they once again jumped on the roof and ran. Suddenly, screams were heard all around the Seireitei. Not screams of people, but of hollows. They stopped running. "How? How is that possible?" Hinamori looked at Matsumoto who could only shake her head, unknowingly.

A bright light caught their attention, beaming from the execution cliff. A couple different reiatsu could be felt resonating from the cliff as they were in battle. One of them they recognized to be Hitsugaya's.

In the dark of the night sky, a portal ripped open above them and a Menos Grande poked it's head out the opening and a handful of other hollows shoved their way past the Menos Grande. Without warning, the Seireitei was being attacked by hollows, giant hollows and Menos'. Hinamori and Matsumoto looked at each other. If they were going to make it to the execution hill at the center of the Seireitei, they were going to have to get pass all of them.

"Hajike, Tobiume!"

"Unare, Haineko!"

Both of them lunged into the group of hollows, easily eradicating them with one swing after another, making their way to the Menos. With the other hollows out of the way, Hinamori and Matsumoto criss-crossed passing by and the two each landed a lethal blow to the Menos. The advanced forward, slowly but surely making their way to the hill while fighting off hollows.

"What's this?...Hey In! Lets go play with those two girls!" The red-headed arrancer rushed to the two unexpecting shinigami.

"Alright, Yan. But I get the busty one! I need to finish her off." The other arrancer girl but with blue hair, named In followed after.

Hinamori was focused on the hollows that was in her way when something hit the pit of her stomach. A strong unfamiliar reiatsu was coming straight for her on her right side. Instinctively she raised her zanpakuto to the right to block whatever was aimed at her. A loud clang of clashing blades echoed and the force pushed Hinamori's feet to skid on the roof.

"Hinamori!" Matsumoto yelled to her.

"I'm fine!" She grunted as her and her enemy kept pushing their blade on to the other while their eyes were in a deadlock. "Behind, from above!"

A blue arrancer girl came from the very direction she called out to attack Matsumoto, she swung around to block just in time. The red-haired girl in front of Hinamori smirked. "Hm..Not bad."

Hinamori and Yan broke contact and leaped back, standing on each end of the roof. "Hinamori was it? So you're the one Kusaka-sama was talking about to the white-haired shorty." Hinamori stared blankly at her, not understanding what she was talking about.

"What? You don't know Kusaka-sama?"

Her eyes widened and Hinamori thought for a moment, "Don't care. He'll be dead anyway." She lied. She knew she was probably referring to the only Kusaka she knew, Kusaka Sojiro, Hitsugaya's academy friend. He must still be alive, he was assumed dead ages ago. But she didn't care who it was, she just had to stop them. Hinamori dashed to Yan, striking their blades together a few times. Yan shot a fireball that Hinamori back flipped to dodge and landed on another building.

Yan gritted her teeth, "How dare you speak of Kusaka-sama like that. Unforgivable!" She leaped in the air and darted to Hinamori, again colliding their swords together. The hollow-like girl shot another fireball and again Hinamori jumped to dodge. At the same time she jumped Yan shot a second fireball on the roof, creating a hole where she predicted Hinamori was going to land.

_Shit!_ Hinamori tried to change the direction she was landing while in midair, barely missing the hole and land her foot on the edges of the gap. The shingles where weakened by the blast and started to crumble on the weight of her foot. She started to slip and lose her balance. Yan took the chance and leaped in the air to transform herself to a fireball, flying towards Hinamori.

Yan came around her back while she fell and slit a long gash across her back with her blazing blade, intending to strike her head. Hinamori landed on the ground with a loud thump, letting out a shriek of pain. Yan, still in her fireball form floated in the air and swirled around for a second assault.

The wounded Hinamori pushed herself up off the ground and shot a reiatsu fireball from Tobiume but was easily blocked by Yan's own fireball. The arrancer girl continued to fly towards Hinamori. Fighting fire with fire was getting no where.

"The Next Dance, Hakuren!" A massive wave of ice streamed from behind Hinamori, she felt it coming and she immediately knew to jump out of the way. Yan in her fireball form changed directions in midair to dodge the huge wave of ice that headed straight for her. She whirled around, backed away and perched herself on the roof, transforming back to a girl._That was too close. _

"Ice. How annoying." Yan grunted.

"Hinamori-san!" A girl ran up to Hinamori.

She turned around to the voice, "Kuchiki-san."

"Ichigo and I will handle them. You and Matsumoto go to Hitsugaya-taicho." Hinamori looked over to Matsumoto's direction, just as she said her friend, Ichigo, came and fought off the other intruder to let Matsumoto escape.

Rukia gave her a smile, "Hurry." She nodded her head gratefully and took off with Matsumoto.

The rest of the Gotei 13 were fighting the hollows and Menos, cutting down the time it took them to reach the execution hill. The pair reached the stairs that carved themselves in the cliff and started to elevate up. As they neared the top, the roars of what appeared to be two dragons bellowed into the sky, like the explosions of thunder.

Hitsugaya and his enemy were in the sky, each with their own ice dragon. Hinamori and Matsumoto could only watch from the ground, this was his battle, they can't interfere. Both the men were heavily wounded and bleeding. Struggling to end the other the two ferociously clashed zanpakuto's.

_It's going to end soon, _Matsumoto thought to herself.

"You know..." Hinamori's voice caught Matsumoto off guard. "..if you had asked me 10 years ago, who is the most important person to me..."

Matsumoto looked down at the girl standing next to her, puzzled she was bringing up a conversation at a time like this. The short girl fixated her eyes on the battle in front as she spoke, "If it was the old me, I would have said Aizen...but now.."

She stared at Hinamori who began to walk towards the two men fighting. "Now, without a doubt, I can honestly say it's Hitsugaya-kun." she spoke in a calm voice, so calm it had Matsumoto worried. She was getting close, in danger of getting hit in the crossfire.

Blood was trailing behind her from the wound on her back."Hinamori!" Matsumoto ran after her. A scream caught her in her tracks, she looked up.

"AHHG!" Hitsugaya screamed as he lunged towards the other man for a final blow. It was a tough fight for both of them as they knew each others fighting style. In order to make contact with the other they had to leave an opening, in which both Hitsugaya and Kusaka did and both received a blade to the torso. The two began to fall from the sky.

Hinamori, who was beneath them, caught Hitsugaya in her embrace and the momentum caused her to fall on the ground. She pushed herself to sit up while Hitsugaya laid in her lap.

"Hina..mori.." he heaved through short breaths of air, his eyes half open.

"Shh..don't speak. I'm here." She wiped the blood from his face with her hands. "Hitsugaya-kun..." Hinamori leaned down closer to him so he could hear her soft voice. "You never ask why I don't call you taicho."

She sniffled her tears in.

"To me..you're not a taicho...

You're just Hitsugaya-kun.

The Hitsugaya-kun that became my friend when no one else would...

The Hitsugaya-kun that I grew up with that was there for me, always...

And...

The Hitsugaya-kun that I fell in love with."

"Iie." She shook her head lightly, a smile grew on her face.

"That I've always loved."

She leaned down closer to barely caress his forehead with hers.

"Just _my_Hitsugaya-kun."

Tears escaped from her eyes and trickled down onto his face. She leaned up and wiped them away.

His eyes were barely open now, he struggled to lift a hand to touch her sweet face...but never made it.

She let go her urge to wail in tears that she held back when she first caught his body. Hinamori didn't want her sorrowing face to be the last thing he saw. Now that his eyes weren't open, she didn't need to hold back. She cried and bawled, curling her body and burying her face into his chest. Heaving breaths in between the tears, her heart started in pump faster to make up for the decrease of oxygen the crying caused.

The violent movement of her sobbing intensified the pain of the large wound on her back. And the racing of her heart increased the circulating of her blood that were escaping from her back.

With the pain of her injury, the headache from her crying, and continued loss of blood, Hinamori started to feel light-headed. Her vision blurred and suddenly darkness covered her eyes.

-x-x-

_Where am I?_

Darkness surrounded her naked body as she floated in the void of her mind.

_It's so quiet, so empty._

She wanted to open her eyes but it felt wrong. It felt like she was suppose to be mediating.

_Hitsugaya-kun._

Her instantly thought about him.

_That's right...He's gone..._

Hinamori recalled the first time they met. He was the first person to speak to her like a normal kid she was. He protected her when she had never met him before.

Her eyelids clenched when she remembered the day she came to live with him. Her house was on fire and they had just been pulverized by the bullies.

Hinamori saw the guilt in his eyes as he watched the flames engulf her home.

She watched him lie. _'Just leave me alone from now on. I was fine when I was alone.'_

She could tell when he was lying to protect her. Hinamori felt herself smile at the thought. He was the same now as he was then, always wanting to protect her.

_'Nobody wants to be alone.' _

Her smiled faded and she curled up to hug her knees as she heard her own youthful voice.

_'I will be with you, always.'_

She bit her bottom lip, wanting to cry. She broke her promise.

Hinamori tilted her head up and screamed but only bubbles of air escaped, entrapping her screams, not letting her repent.

A faint murmur traveled through the watery void, reaching her ears.

_Someone...someone is calling me._

She ignored the call.

_It's not over. I will keep my promise, Hitsugaya-kun._

She let go of her knees and leaned back, letting her naked body float freely.

_Tobiume, can you hear me?_

No response. She continued to call to her zanpakuto.

_If I ever needed you the most, it would be now, Tobiume._

-x-x-

Matsumoto ran up to her, shaking her shoulder. "Hinamori! Wake up Hinamori!"

She sighed in relief when Hinamori opened her hazel eyes. "Are you alright?"

Hinamori was about to respond when Kira suddenly appeared in the distance.

"Hinamori! Matsumoto!" He yelled as he drew closer. Kira's gasped in shock when he saw the limp body of Hitsugaya in Hinamori's arms. "I'll go get Unohana-taicho!" He took off.

Matsumoto watched him leave, her eyebrows furred in worry. _He's not going to make it._

"He's not going to make it." Matsumoto whipped her head around to Hinamori who seemed to have read her mind.

"He will. Everything will be alright." She rubbed her shoulder in comfort.

"Forgive me, Matsumoto." Hinamori spoke in a slight whisper.

"For what?"

"For this—Hadou #31: Shakkahou!"

Matsumoto didn't see the arm she held out in front of her stomach, her view was obscured by her large breasts.

The blond shinigami flew back, landing far away from Hinamori. She rolled on her back and unsteadily propped herself on one elbow. Matsumoto clutched her stomach with the other hand and started to cough up blood. She looked up at Hinamori while breathing heavily from the strong blast of kido she had taken at point-blank.

Still holding Hitsugaya in her arms, Hinamori leaned her head back to look at the dark of the bleeding moon. She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"TOBIUME!"

The zanpakuto that laid on the ground in front of her hovered up and levitated in the air. It started to glow and then a blast of smoke exploded. As the smoke slowly dissipated, an outline of a figure started appear. It was a woman dressed with long flowing white silk robes adorned with golden accents. Her face was beautiful with a feel of elegance. Her eyes were gentle blue and her hair was long and black, flowing gracefully off her back.

She was Tobiume, manifested.

Tobiume grabbed hold of her zanpakuto self and looked at Hinamori. "It is a shame, you were finally able to call me out."

Hinamori only smiled and then looked to the injured Matsumoto.

"Hinamori! What are you doing?" she screamed to her from afar.

Tobiume raised the zanpakuto in her hand, facing Hinamori.

"Hinamori! Don't do it!" She yelled for her to stop what she was doing but the girl kept her sad smile.

"It's alright. I promised I will always be with him. And I will." Hinamori gently laid Hitsugaya body down.

**Sing us a song  
And we'll sing back to you  
We could sing our own  
But what would it be without you? **

With her last words spoken, Tobiume drove the zanpakuto forward.

"Unare, Haineko!" Matsumoto's zanpakuto turned into ash and dashed to intercept Tobiume's blade.

She cried in shock when Haineko was stopped by a barrier Hinamori secretly put up around herself and Tobiume. Unable to stop them, Matsumoto watched as the blade pierced through Hinamori's chest, blood spewed ferociously.

"Sayonara, Hinamori Momo." Tobiume spoke and dropped the zanpakuto. As it the blade clanged on the ground, Tobiume's manifested self turned into billions of tiny glowing orbs and disappeared with the wind.

Hinamori collapsed on to Hitsugaya's chest.

Matsumoto got up and ran towards them with her unstable feet. She fell to her knees and reached out her hand to Hinamori, but was stopped by the barrier that was still up. _Why is it still up?_

"Take it down!" She banged her arms on the barrier. "Damn it, Hinamori! Take it down!"

She tried to yell at her but she stayed still. Matsumoto began to cry, maybe for the first time in her life. She continued to slam her fists on the barrier.

"Matsumoto!" Kira's voice called her. She turned around happy to see him and sad at the same time, he was late. She turned back to the still Hinamori.

"Hinamori! He's here! Take down the barrier!" She cried to her in hopes that she was still able to hear her.

Kira placed a hand on Matsumoto's shoulder.

"You stupid, stupid girl. Why did you have to put up a damn barrier!"

**This heart, it beats  
Beats for only you  
My heart is yours **

-x-x-

After a few days, the Seireitei finally returned to peace. In the Squad 10, Matsumoto, Kira, and Hisagi sat in their usual gathering room. The sun was still out, hanging in the sky to mark the 16th hour of the day. It was quite early to for them to have started drinking already, but considering what happened days earlier, who could blame them.

The three sat quietly, only the sounds of sake being poured and inhaled was heard. After only his third cup, Kira stood up from the table. Neither Matsumoto nor Hisagi stopped drinking to ask where he was going. They knew he was going there again, like he always did everyday around the same time since it happened.

Kira left the 10th division and headed back to his division to stop by the garden. He passed by all the flowers that paraded themselves to be picked by him to come upon the special cluster at the end of the garden he grew for her. Kira picked the prettiest yellow lily and left to his next destination.

The shinigami placed the single flower with the rest that he brought with each day. He stood daydreaming for a while until a slight stirring caught his attention.

Eyes opened and squinted at the bright daylight. Her head turned away as her eyes adjusted to the light. She sat up from the bed and a hand grabbed the front of the hospital yukata she wore. She was alive, why?

Confused, she looked at her chest beneath the robe. There was not a single mark. Not a scar nor bandages. She was impaled by her own zanpakuto yet there were no traces, not even the scar from Aizen's zanpakuto was there anymore. She didn't understand what was going on. Everything that happened, happened, didn't it?

Kira moved to her to catch her attention, he noticed she hadn't yet caught his presence.

"Kira-kun." She was surprised to see him. "What's going on? I'm suppose to be dead. And my scars..." she opened her robe slightly at the chest, Kira blushed and turned his eyes elsewhere.

"I made it." She didn't see the smile he gave her as his head was still turned away. It took her some time to understand what he had meant while she recalled her memories of that night. It finally clicked as she remembered he had left to get Unohana-taicho for help. "I ran into one of Ichigo's friend, Orihime, on my way to get Unohana-taicho. Her healing powers were amazing. They got rid of your scars."

"Then..." She gulped. "..what about..him.." Her voice quivered. She was scared to ask, scared to know.

"Baka. Don't think you can get rid of me that easily." Hitsugaya was leaning against the frame of the door wearing his own hospital yukata.

Kira heard his cue to leave the two alone and left.

That voice. His voice. She almost cried at the sound of his voice. "Shiro-chan!" He was alive.

"Hinamori!" He scolded her at the use of the outdated nickname. She winced and prepared herself for the 'It's Hitsugaya-taicho!' lecture.

"It's...Hitsugaya-kun."

Hinamori smiled, she quickly got off the bed and ran to hug him. Hitsugaya let out a small yelp as he was still weak and recovering. But he didn't care, he let her squeeze her arms around his neck. He circled his arms around her waist and guided her back to the hospital bed.

Hinamori laid herself back on the bed and pulled his arm for him to lay with her. He climbed in and cuddled with her.

"I thought you died." She buried her face in his chest, sniffling tears.

"I'm sorry. I'll never leave you again." He kissed the top of her head.

The room was quiet aside from Hinamori's slight sobbing. He rubbed her back as she wept in his arms. He didn't tell her to stop, he wanted her to let out all her miseries she held inside. They rested in silence for a while after she finished crying.

"Was it really Kusaka Sojiro?" Hinamori broke the silence.

"Yeah." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"Why?"

"Hyourinmaru was a twin blade and we both had one of the blades." He felt her head nod under his chin.

"They wanted me to give up Hyourinmaru, but I wouldn't. So we had to fight for the right to have Hyourinmaru."

Hinamori looked up at him with curious eyes. "Why didn't you give it up? You could have avoided fighting."

Hitsugaya looked into her eyes, it was alright for him to tell her everything now. No holding back. He already confessed he loved her, everything now would be a breeze.

"Baka. How can I continue to protect you if I give it up?" With that, she tighten her hold on him and kissed his lips.

Finally, the two of them broke free from the chains of misfortune fate wrapped around them. Together they lay, holding the other in a tight embrace. Never again will he or she let the other slip through their fingers.

**My heart, it beats for you **

-x-x-

"He's probably at the 4th Division, as always." Ikkaku told his companion as they walked outside.

"What ugly weather." Yumichika shaded his eyes with his hand as he looked up at the hot sun. "No clouds in the blue heavens. All this sun is going to ruin my skin."

They passed the 4th Division's garden on their way looking for their taicho. Through the open doors to the garden Yumichika saw the 10th taicho and the girl sitting in the shade beneath a tree, sharing a plate of fruits. They laughed while eating and played around, one teasing the other. Not a care in the world. A wonderfully serene image.

"Now _that_, is beautiful."

* * *

**Glad no one died? Lol.**

**I bet you all were ready to kill me if I had let them die. P**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing and those who added my story to their favorites! You all made writing my first fic an enjoyable experience! Love you all!!!!!!**

**Insert Song: My Heart by Paramore**


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